


Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War III: Tribulation

by SWEULover2007



Series: Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey [5]
Category: Star Wars Legends: Legacy Era - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 10:31:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 38
Words: 160,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12769161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SWEULover2007/pseuds/SWEULover2007
Summary: Edaan Palpatine, along with his crew, Jedi Knight Jaden Korr, and Mandalorian Sabine Wren, has launched a covert mission to the Sith tomb world of Korriban. There, they will face many trials, but the seeds of change will be sown there, and the galaxy will never be the same as a result. Please, Please review! Warning! Rated M for likely torture and other intense scenes.





	1. Dramatis Personae and Prologue

Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War III: Tribulation

 

_Dramatis Personae_

 

0-0-0 (“Triple Zero”); Assassin Droid

Adari Thayn Palpatine; Teras Kasi instructor (Keshiri Female)

Akku Sei II; Mandalorian captain (Anzati Male)

Aphra; Rogue Archaeologist (Human Female)

Atai Molec; Zygerria Governor/Mechanic (Zygerrian Male)

Ben Skywalker; Jedi Master (Human Male)

Black Krrsantan; Jedi Hunter, Neo Death Watch commander (Wookiee Male)

BT-1 (“Beetee”); Assassin Droid

C1-10p (“Chopper”); Astromech Droid

Darth Kitai (Formerly Vestara Khai); Sith Lady (Human Female)

Darth Krayt; Dark Lord of the Sith; (Human Male)

Darth Malleus; Sith Lord; (Human Male)

Darth Sedriss; Sith Lady (Human Female)

Darth Snoke (Formerly Ezra Bridger); Sith Lord (Human Male)

Darth Wyyrlok; Sith Lord (Chagrian Male)

Dinua Jeban; Mandalorian (Human Female)

Edaan Palpatine; Jedi Knight, Leader of the Shadow Alliance (Human Male)

Garzeb “Zeb” Orrelios; General (Lasat Male)

Jaden Korr; Jedi Knight (Human Male)

Jarael Chantique; medic (Iskalloni Female)

Mirta Gev; Neo Death Watch deserter, Mandalorian Commander (Human-Kiffar Female)

Robonino; Professional slicer/bounty hunter (Patrolian Slicer)

R2-D2 (“Artoo”); Astromech Droid

Sabine Wren; Mandalorian Commander (Human Female)

Seelah Verge; former Sith Saber (Keshiri Female)

Vua Rapuung; Refugee/Gladiator (Yuuzhan Vong Extolled)

 

_The Darkness knows that it is threatened by the light, and now casts great shadows to overcome its enemies. But, the light is growing, and has now become a force to be reckoned with. Both sides will soon face off, and only one side will survive._

 

**And, that’s a wrap on the dramatis personae and prologue for the fifth story of my glorious saga, _Jedi Odyssey_. So, what do you all think of my list of main characters? Do you think that there are enough, as I might add a few more as the story continues? And, what do you think of my prologue? Was that dramatic enough, because I was trying to go for the prologue of _Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Outcast_ and _Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse_ , and the interludes in Matthew Stover’s novelization of _Star Wars: Revenge of the Seth_ , as, in my honest opinion, they were masterpieces. Now, what did you guys think of the latest _Star Wars Rebels_ episode, as I enjoyed the interactions between Grand Admiral Thrawn and Hera Syndulla, and how the rebels were unaware how Thrawn was playing the long game in this growing war? And, in the TV preview for the next episode of the show, “The Last Battle”, Ezra Bridger’s overconfidence and arrogance will, once again, likely get the Ghost crew into deep trouble, which worries me, as it gives credence for my interpretation of what was mentioned as Ezra’s fate in my fourth story. By the way, I don’t know how long this story will be, so we’ll all be surprised if this story will surpass my previous story in word count, which was pretty large, considering that I wrote it all in less than four months. Anyway, I have finished my copy of the Ahsoka Tano young adult novel, and it was spectacular. Oh, and I saw the movie _The Accountant_ today, which is on October 15, 2016, and it was a pretty good movie. If I were to be a movie reviewer, I’d give it an 8.0 out of 10. So, I’ll see all of you soon with the first full chapter of my fifth story. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**

 


	2. Chapter 1

**So, how are all of you doing on this fine day of October 16, 2016? I am doing alright, as I had a good lunch earlier, and walked about three miles with my father around our surrounding neighborhoods. So, what are you doing this week? I have to go to Church later tonight, community college on two weekdays, my local comic book store in order to get Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five #20, and volunteer at my local help center in order to give back to the community. And, I have watched the movie event: _Killing Reagan_ , which is based on real events, and I have to say that the assassin deeply disturbed me, and that I gained even more respect for Ronald Reagan after seeing the movie. Anyway, I hope that all of you enjoy my stories, as I plan on producing two more great stories in my glorious saga, including the present work-in-progress. By the way, did you guys hear some exciting _Dragon Age_ and _Mass Effect_ news, as, next year, a comic book mini-series for _Dragon Age_ , which is titled _Dragon Age: Knight Errant_ will come out on May 10, 2017, while a comic book series for _Mass Effect_ , titled _Mass Effect: Discovery_ , will begin to be released in Spring 2017. In addition, if my memory serves me correctly, Dark Horse is publishing another _The Witcher_ mini-series, which is always fun to read. Also, Dark Horse is continuing _The Legend of Korra_ series as a trio of mini-graphic novels, which I wish I could collect, but cannot, as I must save my money for the _Star Wars_ , _Mass Effect_ , _Drgaon Age_ , and _The Witcher_ comics that are coming out, which happens to be among other reasons which will not be named. Anyway, let’s get on with the story. Oh, one more thing that you guys should know. All I can say right now about the story is this: May the Force be with Edaan Palpatine and his loved ones, as they’ll it and so much more if they hope to get out of this mess.**

_56.8 ABY, Day 73 of the Shadow Alliance’s Formation._

_In Hyperspace, Five Minutes from the Dantooine System_

_Onboard the_ Second Chance

 

“So, boss. Just who are these ‘reformed criminals’ that you told Sabine and Jaden were living on Dantooine?” Robonino, a Patrolian bounty hunter who was one of Edaan Palpatine’s seven crew members onboard the heavily modified Corellian Engineering Corporation YT-1300 light freighter, the _Second Chance_.

 

“I think that all of us were thinking that question, Robo.” Akku Sei II, a Mandalorian captain, who commanded a thirty-man company of Mandalorians, and was an Anzati, which meant that he was a master of infiltration and assassination, stoically said.

 

“Well… it’s not exactly criminals that we’re recruiting to the cause.” Adari Thayn Palpatine, the former resistance leader on the planet Kesh, Edaan’s wife, and the first member of Edaan’s crew, nervously said.

 

“What do you mean?” Atai Molec, the governor of the young Zygerria Anti-Slavery movement that ruled his home world of Zygerria, asked, curious as to where Adari was going with this.

 

“What she means, everyone, is that I’m going to recruit about seventy former Sith from the Lost Tribe in order to give us a greater chance at surviving this suicide mission that I’ve created.” Edaan said, speaking in order to protect his wife from everyone’s inevitable criticism.

 

After everyone took a minute to recover from their initial shock, Jarael Chantique, the team’s medic, and an Iskalloni outlaw along with the rest of her family, said, “Edaan, pardon me for being so blunt, but have you lost your flipping mind?!?”

 

“I honestly don’t know, Jarael. What I do know is that a few of these former Seth just so happened to know about and have studied ancient maps of Korriban, and know the ancient Sith language in order to communicate with the planet’s guardians, Tuk’ata, which could prove crucial in ensuring the success of this mission, as the planet will be crawling with them.” Edaan truthfully said to the team’s medic.

 

“Hold on, Edaan. Why don’t you know the Sith language?” Vua Rapuung, the team’s personal Yuuzhan Vong gladiator, said, surprised that his leader and longtime friend did not know something of this magnitude.

 

“Believe me, Vua, I tried to learn the language from old records that the Jedi Order held, but they were few and far between, and very few records, except the few Sith holocrons that the order found, which were off-limits to non-Jedi Council members, were about the language of the Sith. To make matters worse, most of the records that I found out about were about Sith weapons, old historical records, and tactics, the former of which I tried to avoid, as I didn’t want to become like the Sith, like my great-great-grandfather was.” Edaan regretfully said.

 

“So, you were willing to hack into Jedi Council meetings, but you weren’t willing to go into what is basically a Sith library?” Robonino disbelievingly said.

 

“Seth holocrons are extremely dangerous, Robo. They can only be unlocked by someone who uses the Dark Side of the Force, as well as by someone who wishes to truly learn the ways of the Sith, and that is not in the cards for me.” Edaan replied with more than a little heat in his voice as he spoke. “And all of you should remember that a Sith holocron from the planet Korriban is what corrupted Ezra Bridger and got two good rebels killed, as well as dissolved the Lothal Rebels, severely hurting the fledgling Rebel Alliance.”

 

“But that wouldn’t happen to you, Edaan. Your heart is too pure and just to become like your ancestor.” Adari gently said to her husband, pulling him back from the mental and spiritual edge of the rage that he was straddling.

 

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, darling.” Edaan gratefully said as he went to the cockpit of the _Second Chance_ in order to take the ship out of hyperspace.

 

“So… has anyone else noticed that Edaan is getting tenser than usual?” Robonino asked.

 

“Colloquially put, Robonino, but true enough.” Jarael added. “I think that Edaan is feeling the stress of command, as well as the pressure of redeeming Vestara Khai, and the temptations, trials, and truths that he will no doubt face once we reach Korriban. Adari, I have a request for you, my friend.”

  
“What is it, Jarael?” Adari asked, her curiosity piqued by Jarael’s remark.

 

“I need you to keep an eye on Edaan. If you find out that the psychological aspect of his mind is fracturing from the stress that he’s under, then you tell me immediately, and we will talk with him about it, as well as report his condition to Grand Master Katarn, since he might be able to offer some good words of wisdom to Edaan.” Jarael explained to her longtime friend.

 

“You think that Edaan is at risk at falling to the Dark Side?” Adari disbelievingly said.

 

“No, Adrai. I know that his dedication to the ideals of the Jedi Order are unbreakable. What I’m concerned about is that the pressure that Edaan’s placed upon himself will be too much for him to handle, and he’ll break under that burden, and possible lose his sanity.” Jarael bluntly said.

 

“Jarael, how can you have such little faith in Edaan?!? He’s gotten us through one impossible situation after another, and we’ve emerged stronger because of it.” Adari countered.

 

“ _Do not allow overconfidence to blind you to the possibilities, Adari Thayn Palpatine, no matter how outlandish they might be._ ” Jedi Knight Jaden Korr calmly said, speaking in holographic form from his Z-95 Headhunter for the first time since this impromptu meeting was called to order. He continued, saying, “ _I suffered from doubt for many months before coming to terms with the powers that I possess, and I have little doubt that Edaan is still struggling with many things, such as the burden of trying to prove that he is better than his great-great-grandfather, Darth Sidious._ ”

 

Adari became silent at those words being said, and appeared to contemplate Jaden’s words.

 

“If this meeting is over, we should prepare for the emergence out of hyperspace, as we will enter the Dantooine System in two minutes and ten seconds.” Artoo-Deetoo, the personal astromech droid that worked for the Skywalker-Solo clan, but was currently helping Edaan with his improvised and unauthorized quest to redeem Sith Lady Vestara Khai.

 

“Agreed, Artoo.” Vua said, hoping to move past this awkward meeting, and he and Robonino each went to man one of the two light turbolaser turrets that belonged to the _Second Chance_ , while Atai and Artoo went to make sure that all systems on the CEC YT-1300 light freighter were functioning at full capacity, Jarael went to work in the medbay in order to prepare any cybernetics of stims that the crew might face while on Korriban, Jaden closed the Holonet channel on his starfighter in order to focus on flying, and Adari went to go to her husband in the cockpit.

 

Once Adari arrived at the cockpit, she sat in the copilot’s seat, buckled up, and prepared to take the ship out of hyperspace. She then deactivated the comlink that she had active during the entire conversation, and gently said, “Do _you_ think that you are at risk at falling to the Dark Side, beloved?”

 

“Everyone has that risk, Adari. Even you have that dark potential.” Edaan said with complete seriousness before he continued saying, “Countless Jedi have fallen to the Dark Side, ranging from Xendor, Ajunta Pall, Exar Kun, Darth Desolous, Darth Ruin, Set Harth, Count Dooku, Anakin Skywalker, Brakiss, Alema Rar, Darth Caedus, and countless other Jedi. And, let’s not forget about all of the corrupt senators during the final years of the Old Republic, because the bulk of the senators were each a hot mess in their own right. That’s what gave Sidious and the Order of the Sith Lords such a fertile ground for creating the First Galactic Empire.”

 

“I suppose…” Adari said, understanding Edaan’s side of the argument, bur privately unwilling to concede that her husband, who went out of his way to help people at risk to the Jedi Order’s reputation and orders, was ever at risk at falling to the Dark Side.

 

“Don’t worry, Adari. I have no intention of falling to the Dark Side at all in my life, so you can rest easy on that regard.” Edaan said in order to reassure his wife.

 

“Good.” Adari said as she noticed a flashing light on the control panel, and said, “We’re coming out of hyperspace.”

 

“Excellent. Then let’s head to the Hidden Temple.” Edaan said as the ship reverted into realspace just a few hundred kilometers from the atmosphere of the planet Dantooine.

 

“I’ll let Jaden Korr know of our itinerary.” Adari said as she opened a private communications channel with the Jedi Knight’s personal Z-95 Headhunter, and informed the Jedi of their destination.

 

_Twenty Minutes Later, Outside the Ruins of the Jedi Enclave_

 

Jaden Korr was on high alert, as he felt a strong concentration of the Dark Side of the Force within the four-thousand year-old enclave, which deeply offended him, as these ruins were supposed to be sealed off in order to honor the contributions of the Old Jedi Order. But, since this was Edaan’s operation, he would follow his lead unless the situation became a matter of life-and-death.

 

As he exited his Headhunter, his astromech droid and personal companion, nicknamed “Arsix,” warbled nervously, which caused Jaden to turn to him and say, “Arsix, if you don’t hear from me within the next thirty minutes, leave the system and alert Grand Master Katarn and the Shedu Maad Temple of the Sith presence.”

 

After hearing Arsix beeped in agreeing to leave, Jaden went to greet the young human female and Keshiri male that had just arrived to greet the aging Jedi, and asked “Am I correct to assume that you two are the welcoming committee?”

 

“You assume correctly, Master Jedi.” the woman calmly said as she motioned for Jaden to follow her and her companion.

 

Jaden quickly followed and, hoping to get as much information out of these two Sith before he and Edaan met the leader of this remnant of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, asked the human male, “So, how did all of you get saved by Edaan during the Invasion of Kesh?”

 

“I am sorry, Master Jedi, but we were instructed to leave all questions for our leader, former Sith Saber Seelah Verge.” The human male said in an uncharacteristically calm voice.

 

“Actually, it’s just Jedi Knight Jaden Korr. I elected to remain a Jedi Knight in order to be able to help people on a moment’s notice.” Jaden responded, hoping to get a hint of emotion out of either Sith.

 

“Ah, our apologies, Knight Korr.” The Keshiri female surprisingly said before continuing, saying, “We didn’t know that we were in the presence of such a well-respected Jedi.”

 

“How do you know about me?” Jaden said, his guard now up.

 

“We have a Holonet receiver that gives us the latest news in the galaxy, in case we have to move to another planet on a moment’s notice if we are discovered.” The Keshiri explained before receiving a withering glare from her human counterpart, immediately silencing her.

 

“Ah, so you know about the Shadow Alliance and our victory over Natasi Daala and the Neo Death Watch at Mandalore, then?” Jaden asked.

 

“That is correct, Knight Korr.” The human male politely responded.

 

“If I might ask, what are your names?” Jaden asked, purely out of a common courtesy.

 

“I am Cassandra Pael, and my compatriot is Victor Linid. We are, or rather, were, Sith Sabers before we, along with our leader and her followers, deserted the now-deposed Grand Lady of the Sith, Vestara Khai.” the woman said as she introduced the two of them.

 

“A pleasure to make the both of your acquaintance.” Jaden politely said as he and the two former Sith met up with Edaan, his crew, and their two ex-Sith escorts. “Well, Edaan, so far our hosts have been very polite.”

 

“Yeah, well, don’t expect it to last for too long, Jaden, since most of these retired Sith have a healthy grudge against the Jedi and their allies for trying to eradicate all of them. At least half of them barely trust me, and I saved their lives from impending Hapan and Imperial forces by fooling them into thinking that I killed them all and freed their servants by giving them a ship, as well as the coordinates for the enclave that we’re now in so they could start over.”

 

“If I might ask, why did you spare them, as I know that it wasn’t for this purpose?” Jaden asked as the two Jedi and their seven companions were led to the ruined Jedi Council chambers.

 

“Let’s just say that it was because I was listening to my instincts, and leave the rest of the explaining to Seelah and her followers.” Edaan evasively said, before continuing, asking everyone, “So, is everyone else okay so far?”

 

“Of course, dear.” Adari replied.

 

“I’m good, boss.” Robonino confidently said.

 

“I am functioning at one-hundred-percent efficiency, Edaan.” Artoo robotically said.

 

“I will follow your lead, my friend.” Vua calmly said.

 

“I hope that violence will not be needed for this meeting, but I am prepared to fight if the situation requires it.” Jarael gravely said.

 

“I’ve dealt with worse situations, and I will adapt to make the best of it.” Atai self-assuredly said.

 

“You haven’t steered us wrong yet, my friend, and I doubt that today will be the day.” Akku said in his trademark stoic tone.

 

“Thank you all for your honesty, my friends.” Edaan gratefully said as he and the eight of his allies entered the council chambers of the Jedi Enclave, where twelve Sith were residing, not including the eight children between the ages of one to three which were present.

 

As the nine guests marveled at how ordinary this group of Sith appeared to be, Cassandra and Victor guided them to the Keshiri female that was covered from head to toe in Sith Combat Armor, and carried two lightsabers on her belt. Once the woman noticed them, she rose from her chair to come over to Edaan. Everyone except Edaan and Adari felt one of their hands unconsciously move towards their respective weapons.

 

Upon sensing the nervousness from the seven beings, the Keshiri raised her hands in order to convey a message of peace, she stopped five paces from the young couple, and gratefully said, “It is good to see the two of you, Edaan Palpatine and Adari Thayn. You have no idea how dull it quickly gets with no one else on the planet to talk to.”

 

“I can imagine, Seelah, as I had to lead the Resistance against Vestara Khai during her rule of the planet.” Adari sympathetically said as she shook Seelah’s hand. “Oh, and it’s Adari Thayn Palpatine, as Edaan and I married a few days ago before the Defense of Mandalore.”

 

“Really?” Seelah shockingly said before she regained her composure and said, “Forgive me for being so rude, I was just surprised that the two of you waited so long before ‘tying the knot’, as the people in the galaxy are fond of saying.”

 

“Yeah, well, we just wanted to wait until the right time, and we decided that now was the time.” Edaan evasively said as he nodded at the other eleven Sith and their children, saying, “So, you guys had kids, huh?”

 

“Yes, Edaan, that’s correct. Their names are Spinner, Dallis, Yaru, Candra, Jorel, Deama, Takara, and Amara.” Seelah said as she gestured to the five boys and three girls, who seemed to be looking at the nine guests with a lean and analytical eye.

 

“They’re very well-behaved children, Seelah. They must take after their parents.” Edaan said as a compliment.

 

“That they do, Edaan. That they do. So, to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit to our settlement?” Seelah said, eager to learn why Edaan was visiting her people’s refuge all of a sudden.

 

“I came here on business. I need your help to bring Vestara Khai to justice.” Edaan bluntly said, making Seelah’s jaw fall wide open at the mention of Vestara’s name.

 

“You know where she is?” Seelah whispered, her voice full of venom as she spoke.

 

“Yes. It’s a long story.” Edaan warned.

 

“Well, we’ve got time to kill, so you’d better get started giving us the full picture.” Seelah said, heading to her seat in order to begin this unexpected meeting with Edaan and his allies.

 

_Twenty Minutes Later_

 

“So, Edaan, just to recap, you and this ‘Shadow Alliance’ that you created have tracked this different Sith Order, the One Sith, to the planet Korriban, where they, Vestara Khai, over two thousand Sith, and fifteen thousand renegade corporate and slaver forces are holed up within the planet’s tombs, and you need us in order to navigate the planet’s dangerous terrain, indigenous life forms, and countless tombs and catacombs.” Seelah asked, making sure that she understood what Edaan had just finished telling them.

 

“Yup. That about sums it up, my friend.” Edaan said in confirmation.

 

“Edaan, this is a very big request that you have asked of us. We have taken great pains to avoid drawing the attention of the main powers in the galaxy, and we want to make our own small place in the galaxy, free of conflict and pain.” A human female on the makeshift Dantooine Council that was named Saarai Caine sympathetically said.

 

“And if the Sith win this war, they will eventually hunt you down, massacre the adults, and kidnap the kids in order to gain eight new Sith for their growing ranks.” Edaan gently countered.

 

“Speaking of the children, where would we send them, as we cannot bring our children to Korriban, and leaving Dantooine would put them at risk if we left them here?” Orielle Vol, granddaughter of the former Grand Lord of the Lost Tribe, Darish Vol, asked.

 

“Well, there are two places where you can send them: Mandalore, where the Shadow Alliance is currently positioned, or Shedu Maad, where the Jedi Temple is located, and is guarded by a fleet fanatically loyal to the Hapan Queen Mother, Tenel Ka Djo, who was once a Jedi Knight before her duties forced her to leave the Order.” Edaan replied.

 

“You want us to go to the JEDI for protection?!?” Seelah disbelievingly shouted as the rest of the council launched a verbal bombardment at Edaan, who mentally brushed off their complaints as Seelah continued, yelling, “Are you out of your mind, Edaan?!? The rest of the Jedi aren’t as understanding as you, Edaan. They will kill us for merely existing, and indoctrinate our children into hating us!”

 

“Not necessarily, Seelah. Jedi Grand Master Kyle Katarn, who just so happens to have been my former master, along with the rest of the Shadow Alliance, can grant each of you clemency for helping us stop the One Sith and their remaining minions.” Jaden said, invalidating their argument.

 

“And what happens if we are all killed by the One Sith? What effect do you think what will happen to our kids if they sense our deaths, as all of them are Force-sensitive?” Orielle passionately rebutted.

 

“All right, then the parents of the children can go to either Mandalore or Shadu Maad in order to protect them from the backlash of death that they will no doubt feel in a couple of months.” Adari diplomatically said, earning a few nods from the members of the Dantooine Council.

 

After seeing that the other council members were considering this proposal, Seelah calmly said, “Cassandra, Victor, can you please show the Jedi to the temple garden while we debate this request?”

 

“Of course, Lady Verge.” Both Sith simultaneously replied as the motioned for the nine guests to follow them out of the Council chambers.

 

Once they left the council chambers, Orielle said, “Seelah, surely you’re not considering this mad proposal?”

 

“I don’t know about you, Orielle, but I am tired of living alone with just the seventy-eight of us on a deserted planet. This is our chance to make our mark on the galaxy in a way that will never be forgotten!” A human who went by the name of Oru Nabil passionately said.

 

“Still want the fame and glory, don’t you, Oru?” Seelah amusingly asked.

 

“Of course he does. War is in his blood, as he killed dozens of the Jedi’s allies during their invasion of our homeworld.” Saarai confirmed.

 

After an additional ten minutes of arguing, Seelah shouted, “ENOUGH! We’re going around this in circles. I say that we take the matter to a vote. All those in favor of aiding Edaan Palpatine in his incursion to Korriban?” Seelah asked. Upon hearing those words, seven Sith, including Seelah, Oru, Saarai, and four other Sith raised their right hands and said “Aye.”

 

“Those opposed?” Seelah then said, and Orielle and the four remaining Sith raised their left hands and said, “Neigh.”

 

After seeing that she had lost, Orielle said, “Very well. The Dantooine Council will aid Edaan Palpatine, the Jedi Order, and the Shadow Alliance in destroying the One Sith, but I still stand by me opinion.”

 

“And that is your right, Orielle. But, I’ll tell you what. You can go with the children and their parents if you want, as this mission could cost most of us our lives.” Seelah consolingly said.

 

“Sorry, Seelah, but you need me on this mission, as I know the Sith language the best among us, and have the most experience with using the Force.” Orielle said, not willing to let her friends and loved ones go into the fire alone.

 

“Good to hear, my friend.” Seelah gratefully said as she activated her comlink and said, “Cassandra, Victor. Can you bring Edaan and his friends back in? We’ve come to a decision regarding their request.”

 

“ _At once, Seelah._ ” Said the dutiful voice of Victor.

 

_Five Minutes Later_

 

“So, have you guys come to a decision regarding my request?” Edaan said, getting right to the point, as time was of the essence right now.

 

“We have, Edaan, and, by a majority of the Dantooine Council, we have decided to aid you in your upcoming battle. I will lead a squadron of twenty-five Sith, while the rest of our colony will head to Mandalore in order to alert the Shadow Alliance to this development.” Seelah said.

 

“Excellent!” Edaan said as he clasped his hands together as if closing a business deal. “Do you still have those eight YT-2400 light freighters that I ‘gave’ to you?”

 

“Of course, Edaan. They’re in the makeshift spaceport that we constructed near the Rakatan Ruins.” Oru replied.

 

“Okay, just how did you guys manage to construct a spaceport in the middle of nowhere?” Jaden skeptically said.

 

“We… stole some construction supplies and agricultural droids from the Corporate Sector, and built a small spaceport in order to house our ships, and help us learn how to grow our own crops in order to restrict our contact with the galaxy to a bare minimum.” Seelah nervously said, before continuing, saying, “But, those were the only things that we stole, Knight Korr.”

 

“I believe you. And, none of us are fans of the Corporate Sector, so I’ll let it slide under the radar.” Jaden honestly said, sensing no deceit from the former Sith.

 

“Thank you. So, how long do we have before we have to leave for Korriban and Mandalore?” Seelah asked.

 

“About two days, as we need to give our Mandalorian allies time to get to and from Wild Space in order to recruit their allies from the Rebel Alliance. Don’t worry, these Mandalorians and Rebels can be trusted, as the former helped take down Natasi Daala, and the latter are good friends with the former’s commander, Sabine Wren.” Edaan reassuringly said as the eyes of the twelve Sith shot up in shock.

 

“Well, at least you have a wide array of friends, Edaan.” Seelah amusingly said as the Council left to prepare their families and loved ones for the journey to Mandalore, as well as decide which of the former Sith would comprise the twenty-five-man strike force.

 

 _One Hour Later, Onboard the_ Second Chance

 

“ _Edaan is recruiting SITH to his cause?_ ” Kyle Katarn disbelievingly said as Luke Skywalker, Ben Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa Solo, Jedi Council members Kyp Durron, Corran Horn, T’ra Saa, Barratk’l, Fel Empire Empress Jaian Solo Fel, the members of the reconstituted Grey Cadre, the Shadow Alliance’s Supreme Commander Nek Bwua’tu as well as the members of the Shadow Alliance’s High Command, which comprised Boba Fett, Trista Zel, Azzim Anjilic Atirue, Gavin Darklighter, Armand Vorn, and Traest Kre’frey looked on at Kyle and Jaden with disappointed glares.

 

“Former Sith, Grand Master. These Sith seem to have experienced a profound transformation, and seek to distance themselves from the conflicts that are ravaging the galaxy.” Jaden replied to his former master.

 

“ _But do we know if these Sith are telling the truth, as all Sith are master manipulators, even their chldren?_ ” Ben painfully said as he remembered how Vestara Khai broke his heart by betraying him, his family, and the Jedi Order in one of their most desperate times.

 

“Ben, don’t let your failure with Vestara cloud your judgement, as Sith, such as Ulic Qel-Droma, Lord Praven, and Ajunta Pall have been redeemed before by Jedi.” Jaden countered, surprising Ben by how passionately he was defending Edaan’s suicidal quest. “And children should not be blamed for the mistakes of their parents, not to mention that said children are only one to three years old, so they are still innocent enough to be helped, if their parents are willing, of course.” Jaden continued.

 

Kyle and Corran smiled at Jaden’s noble words, while Boba, hoping to move the conversation along, said, “ _Bold words, Knight Korr. But words can only go so far. How close are Sabine and Mirta to Lira San?_ ”

 

“According to the latest update, they were about ten parsecs out from the imploded star cluster that protects the planet. They should have arrived on the planet by now, which is why we haven’t been able to contact them.” Jaden said.

 

“ _Good. Keep an eye on Edaan. He will need all the help he can get if his quest is to have a chance in succeeding._ ” Corran told the younger Jedi Knight.

 

“I know, Master Horn.” Jaden obediently said, before continuing, saying, “We’ll rendezvous with Sabine and her forces just outside the Horuset System in seven days, and then we’ll head to Korriban.”

 

“Good. May the Force be with you all.” Luke Skywalker said as, one by one, the twenty-four holographic figures closed their channel to the Holonet, leaving Jaden alone to his thoughts.

 

**And, that ends the first full chapter of what I promise to be the best story yet in my six-book franchise. So, tell me what you think. Oh, and before you say anything, I know that my chapter was a bit flawed, but I am a bit pressed for time, as my two community college classes are beginning to get harder, as plenty of assignments and projects are starting to crop up, which is a bit of a stress-inducer. So, I will probably not have too much time to work on my stories. Just giving you guys a heads-up. Anyway, today, on October 19, 2016, I bought _Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five #20_ today, and may I just say that I am so going to enjoy Injustice Ground Zero when it comes out in December, and seeing the dictator Superman getting his comeuppance. Anyway, I just found a brilliant fanfiction that can be found on my favorites page on fanfiction.net, and it is a crossover between the 2003 TMNT series and _Avatar: The Last Airbender_. By the way, did you guys check out the petition on change.org about bringing _Star Wars: The Old Republic_ over to Netflix? I did, and it has close to a hundred thousand signers, which is an amazing accomplishment. Now, let’s just hope that Lucasfilm listens to us, as I signed the petition a handful of days ago, and I desperately want more Expanded Universe content! Well, May the Force Be With You, and Long Love the Expanded Universe!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Greetings, Star Wars Expanded Universe aficionados. How are you doing on this fine Thursday, which just so happens to be October 20, 2016? I am alright, but I have a bunch of assignments to do over the weekend, so this chapter might be up later than we like. I’m just giving you guys a heads-up, so no one can get stressed out over my absence if this chapter takes longer than expected. Anyway, I can’t wait for the next episode of _Star Wars Rebels_ , as it features the return of a certain Super Tactical Droid that is named General Kalani, who was last seen in three episodes of Season Five of _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_ , and his droid battalion that is still functioning. Am I the only one to hope that Rex manages to convince Kalani to join forces with the burgeoning Rebellion, as their addition would be a powerful asset for the Rebels? And, speaking of old Star Wars Content, I hope that Lucasfilm listens to the petitioners of the _Star Wars: The Old Republic_ petition from change.org that I mentioned at the end of my last chapter, even if it takes years for said show to be develop, as I am confident that I, along with many likeminded fans, can wait a while for glorious Star Wars Expanded Universe content. So, even though this is only the second full chapter in my fifth story, how are you guys enjoying my story so far? I hope that you have enjoyed it all so far, as it will get better (or worse, because of what I have planned for the heroes.) very soon. Anyway, with all of the small chat out of the way, let’s get on with the story, as I know that all of you are so eager to read the next chapter in my exciting story.**

 

_One Hour Later, Just Outside the Lira San Star Cluster_

_Onboard the_ Aliit

 

Sabine Wren and Mirta Gev, two veteran Mandalorians who had decades of experience under their belts, were preparing to enter the Lira San Star Cluster through Sabine’s personal Corellian Engineering Corporation VCX-100 light freighter, the _Aliit_ , which was the only ship in their small fleet of ten freighters that had the technology and hyperspace coordinates to safely enter and exit the imploded star cluster.

 

“So, just how well do you know these two rebels?” Mirta said from the copilot’s seat as she checked the ship’s stabilizers.

 

“I’ve known them for sixty-two years, Mirta, and, last I heard, one is a General in the Lira San Grand Army, while the other is the chief mechanic in the Lira San Navy.” Sabine honestly and nostalgically replied.

 

“You haven’t heard from them in a while, huh?” Mirta guessed as the _Aliit_ began to enter the imploded start cluster.

 

“Not since I went undercover into Daala’s forces all of those years ago, because if Daala found out of my loyalties to your grandfather, she would have had the two of them, along with the rest of the Lasats on the planet, massacred for their ties to me.” Sabine confirmed. “And that kind of thing was supposed to solely belong to the demented Ysanne Isard and her lackeys.” She continued, referring to the late Director of Imperial Intelligence of the First Galactic Empire, as well as effective ruler of the Empire for about three-and-a-half years. Before being removed from power by Rogue Squadron and a good deal of smuggler allies, including legendary smuggling kingpins Booster Terrik and Talon Karrde, aiding them.

 

“I know all about that, Sabine. After all, I read the history holobooks that the New Republic sent out, as well as heard all of the stories from my mother.” Mirta said as the ship entered hyperspace in order to survive the violent storms within the star cluster.

 

“Good.” Sabine simply said as she waited about fifty seconds before taking the ship out of hyperspace, revealing the stable and tranquil planet of Lira San and its two moons within the Lira San Star Cluster.

 

“Wow. I never realized just how beautiful the eye of the storm can be.” Mirta marveled as she took in the sights, while noticing that two squadrons of T-65 X-Wings and A-Wings were rapidly approaching the freighter.

 

“ _Attention, unidentified ship. This is Captain Kallus Orellios of the Lira San Navy. Identify yourselves at once, or your vehicle will be impounded, and you will be questioned._ ” Said a strong and gruff voice over the intercom.

 

“You got this, Sabine?” Mirta apprehensively said as two X-Wings and A–Wings surrounded the _Aliit_.

 

“Do you even need to ask?” Sabine nonchalantly asked as she turned on the ship’s communications systems and said, “This is Mandalorian Commander Sabine Wren, leader of the Vindicator Brigade. Our clearance codes are coming through now.” She sent over the clearance codes that her old friend gave her eight years ago.

Once that was done, Captain Orellios said, “ _Code checks out. Welcome back to Lira San, Commander Wren. What can the people of Lira San do for you, my old friend?_ ”

 

“Well, Captain, me and my companion, Mirta Gev, request an audience with General Garzeb Orrelios, as we have information about the Sith that must reach the general.” Sabine quickly said, knowing that time was of the essence.

 

“ _Roger that, Commander Wren. I’ll let him know that you’re here, and you should be able to see him within the next… two hours. Would you like a starfighter escort over to your usual shuttle port?_ ” Captain Orellios asked.

 

“That would be fine, Captain Orellios. Oh, and say hello to Hera for me.” Sabine said as she closed the comms channel.

 

“So, you and the captain are good friends?” Mirta guessed by the interactions between the two of them.

 

“Oh, yeah. I was there for his birth about thirty years ago, and I kept an eye on him throughout his life.” Sabine replied.

 

“So, if the captain is a Lasat, then why does the captain have a human name?” Mirta asked, curious as to why that was the case.

 

“Kallus happened to be the name of an Imperial Security Bureau officer of the First Galactic Empire that hounded me and my fellow rebels during the early years of rebellion, and came close to beating us several times. But, during a mission above Geonosis in the third year before the Battle of Yavin, Kallus and Zeb were stranded on Geonosis’s frozen moon, and were forced to work together in order to survive the harsh conditions on the moon, and developed a grudging respect for each other. In fact, Kallus was so affected by his interactions with Zeb, as well as how his eyes were opened to the Empire’s true nature, that he eventually defected to the Rebellion in the second year before the Battle of Yavin.” Sabine said as her mind once again drifted back to her earlier years, and a tear unconsciously and unknowingly fell down her face, which Mirta just so happened to pick up on.

 

Hoping to keep Sabine from spiraling into a depression, Mirta said, “You Lothal Rebels really changed a lot of people’s lives, huh?”

 

“Yeah, we did. We rescued Wookiee slaves, saved several populations from dying, and took out a lot of bucket heads in the process. Those were the good old days.” Sabine said before she continued, reflectively saying, “And now the Jedi and Sith have returned in legions, and we’re allied with the offshoot of Empire that caused so much suffering across the galaxy. Man, so much can change in a single lifetime.”

 

“Don’t I know it.” Mirta said in agreement as the _Aliit_ landed in the personal spaceport of the Lasat Honor Guard, one mile from the military headquarters of the Lira San Grand Army. “So, what do we do until we get to meet General Garazeb Orellios?” Mirta honestly asked.

 

“Well, you, my men, and I could tell each other some war stories, as I’m sure that we’ve got some pretty exciting stories to share. Hey, to make things interesting, how about the six of us each put up one hundred credits for a great war story, and the winner gets the whole pot?” Sabine audaciously said as she typed on her left gauntlet in order to tell her men to meet them at the holotable.

 

“Oh, you’re so on, Sabine.” Mirta said, smirking as she spoke. “I’ve got a brilliant story about a mission with Vestara Khai and her mission on Denon. How about you?”

 

“Oh, that’s a secret.” Sabine elusively said as the two Mandalorian women went to the briefing table, where the rest of the soldiers under their command would be by now.

 

_Two Hours Later_

Dinua Jeban was feeling ecstatic right about now, as she had just won the pot of eight hundred credits for her story of first meeting the Yuuzhan Vong, as well as helping to rescue the Jedi Kubariet from the Yuuzhan Vong on the planet New Holga, and the unofficial alliance between New Republic Intelligence, Kubariet, and the Mandalorians, since no other Mandalorian could come up with a more exciting, as well as disturbing war story. The eight Mandalorians were almost so busy celebrating her victory that they barely heard a pounding on the door that led to the outside of the ship. Once they quieted down, a loud and gruff voice shouted, “HEY!! I heard that Sabine was in there! Let me in!”

 

“Well, speak of the devil, or in this case, the Lasat, and he shall appear.” Sabine reflectively said as she got up from her seat in order to open the door, revealing four Lasats, two of which Sabine recognized as royal bodyguards, another of them had a captain’s insignia, another with a bigger insignia with five red and yellow squares that Sabine didn’t recognize. However, she did recognize the two latter Lasats, and she went to firmly hug the taller of the two Lasats, which the Lasat fiercely returned as the two of them laughed boisterously, surprising the seven other Mandalorians present.

 

“SABINE!!” the taller Lasat joyously shouted as they separated.

 

“Hey, Zeb. How’s life as a general for the Lasat Grand Army?” Sabine asked.

 

“Oh, that’s right. You didn’t hear, what, with your undercover mission with Boba Fett, your leader. Man, who knew that the Ashla was capable of a sense of humor?” Garazeb Orellios said as he chuckled, before continuing, saying, “Anyway, I was promoted to Supreme Commander of the Lasat Grand Army about three years ago, and good old Kallus became a captain in the Navy.” Garazeb answered.

 

“Yeah, I know. He greeted us on the way down to Lira San. So, how’s Hera?” Sabine asked, referring to Zeb’s daughter, who just so happened to be named after the Twi’lek woman who was Kanan Jarrus’s lover, and the leader of the Lothal Rebels.

 

“She’s done well as a civilian medic. She’s saved a lot of lives, both here and in the bigger galaxy when she journeys out there.” Garazeb said as he moved to sit down while Kallus and the two body guards stood at attention, only to be moved aside by a rusty and very cantankerous C-1 Astromech Droid who grumbled as it went over to greet Sabine.

 

In response, Sabine simply kneeled down in order to hug the astromech droid. She then said, “Chopper! Man, it’s good to see you, too.”

 

The astromech droid that was known as Chopper twirled in response to getting noticed, and spoke in droidspeak, and Garazeb, in response, said, “Hey. Cut her a bit of slack. She was undercover in order to help stop a wannabe tyrant and save the galaxy. Heh, reminds me of her mission to go undercover at Skystrike Academy in order to get those cadets out of Imperial clutches, only to be save by Agent Kallus.” After snapping out of his reverie, Garazeb asked, “So, to what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you and some of your men again, Sa- Wait. I know you.” He suddenly stopped as he recognized Mirta Gev and got up to approach her, his voice dropping very low as he said, “You’re Mirta Gev, Boba Fett’s granddaughter. The one who deserted her people to go hang out with beings like Sith Lady Vestara Khai and galactic megalomaniac Natasi Daala and cause a whole lot of suffering across the galaxy.”

 

“Yes. That’s me.” Mirta said as she stood her ground, not willing to show how afraid that Garazeb would rip off her arms the way that a Wookiee would.

 

Grunting as he turned away from Mirta, Garazeb moved to face Sabine again, saying to the aging Mandalorian, “You better have a good reason for bringing this lackey along with you, Sabine, or you’ll have to leave the planet.”

 

“We’ve found Ezra Bridger, Zeb. And we need you and Chopper’s help in order to bring him to justice.” Sabine said, deadpanned as she motioned for the Lasat to sit down, causing Garazeb’s jaw to fall down, and his eyes were wide open as he slowly sat down at the briefing table.

 

“Start from the beginning, Sabine.”

 

“All right, Zeb. But, it’s a long story.”

 

_Thirty Minutes Later_

 

“KARABAST!! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR KARKING MIND, SABINE?!?” Garazeb bellowed out as his three Lasat associates’ jaws were hanging open. “You’re traveling with a descendent of Emperor Palpatine, a Yuuzhan Vong, and several other misfits, to the Sith planet Korriban in an insane attempt to redeem Vestara Khai, and you want me to help you?!? Give me one good reason as to why I should help you in this suicide mission!”

 

“Because, this might be our only chance to avenge Hera and Kanan, Zeb! I thought that you would jump at the chance to get justice for their murders. And the Shadow Alliance is preparing to invade the planet in less than eight weeks, so we need to move fast in order to rendezvous with Edaan and his crew if our plan is to work.” Sabine passionately said.

 

“But how can we trust the great-great-grandson of Sheev Palpatine, the most infamous Sith Lord in recent history?” Garazeb protested.

 

“Because, Zeb, this Jedi built up an entire organization from favors and friendships in order to save one person. Not to mention that he aided the Hutts, renegade Black Sun forces, the Mandalorian Loyalists in gaining power and stability, as well as countless planets and the members of his crew. He worked hard to earn his power through honest means, and he can be trusted. And besides, you trusted Imperial Security Bureau Agent Kallus after he was ordered to commit genocide on your home world of Lasan, and that paid off greatly for the Rebellion, and for me, as he saved my life and the two Imperial cadets that defected to the Rebellion.” Sabine honestly said.

 

“Yeah… but that was a long time ago. I’ve grown up since then, and I don’t trust people so easily anymore. Especially descendants of dead Sith Lords and Ladies.” Garazeb said, not entirely convinced by Sabine’s words.

 

In response, Chopper grumbled and warbled, earning a scowl from the Lasat supreme commander, who griped, “Hey, I got along well with other people back in the day, Chopper.”

 

“Eh… not so much, Zeb.” Sabine said as she found herself disagreeing with her longtime friend and comrade.

 

“If I might be allowed to speak.” Mirta said as she stood up and spoke for the first time in the last thirty-three minutes since last speaking.

 

“Make it quick, Gev.” Garazeb brusquely said.

 

“I’ve been in Vestara’s position: On the wrong side, facing one dark decision after another, being separated from the people that I love, and slowly losing your soul to the forces of the Dark Side. But, through kindness, love, and persistence, I was brought back by a person that I consider to be a true friend, and that friend is Edaan Palpatine. He, among all of the Jedi that I’ve met, has the greatest capacity for love, and that, not his bloodline, or his gifts with the Force, is his greatest ability and talent. And, since Ben Skywalker lost that capacity when Vestara first left him, that gift is what makes Edaan the best and only person to go after and try to redeem Vestara Khai.” Mirta explained to Garazeb, who looked down in thought as Mirta spoke.

 

“Hey, Zeb. Remember when I tried to kill Fenn Rau when he tried to kill Hera over Concord Dawn, in the third year before the Battle of Yavin?” Sabine suddenly asked.

 

“Yeah, and Kanan managed to talk you out of it, and the two of you, including Chopper, managed to capture Rau and get the temporary aid of the Journeyman Protectors before Imperial forces devastated them. Where exactly are you going with this?” Garazeb irritatingly asked.

 

“Well, after the mission, I realized that vengeance, while satisfying in the short term, only harms you and those around you in the long run. In addition, it would dishonor the sacrifices that all of our comrades had made up to that point.” Sabine explained.

 

“Okay, then why are you going after Ezra if you are opposed to vengeance?” Garazeb asked, not getting what point his longtime friend was making.

 

“Because I still believe in justice, Zeb, and this impromptu mission is probably the best way to do so, not to mention the only chance that we’ll get to make Hera and Kanan proud one last time before we go our separate ways for good.” Sabine said in reply.

 

“Heh. I guess your time with Kanan and Hera changed you for the better, old friend.” Garazeb said as he chuckled in amusement.

 

“I think that they changed all three of us in the long run, Zeb.” Sabine said, referring to him and Chopper, the latter of which beeped in confirmation. She then continued by asking, “So, are you and Chopper in, or not?”

 

After Garazeb took a minute to weigh all of the options, and remember all of the battles and adventures that he had with his comrades, and remembered just what that he had fought for with the rebel cells and later Rebel Alliance, he nodded in agreement, smiling as he said, “We’ll do you one better, Sabine. We’ll give you and the Shadow Alliance a thousand of the best troops that Lira San has to offer.” Chopper nodded in agreement.

 

Upon hearing those words, Sabine and Mirta’s eyes bulged right open, and the former Mandalorian said, “Zeb, are you sure that you want to get your people involved? You know what will happen to your people if we fail in stopping the One Sith and their remaining forces.”

 

“My people’s neutrality during the Clone War didn’t stop the Empire from wiping out most of the people on Lasan.” Garazeb simply said as he rose to head back to the palace in order to address the Lira San Prime Minister of this development. As he, Kallus, and the two Bodyguards prepared to leave, he said, “I’ll put together a strike team of the best Lasat infiltrators in order to help you with your mission. It should take about one to two days to get everything in order, so until then, Chopper will show you and your friends around the palace, as well as keep an eye on the eight of you. Just don’t start any fights, or you’ll be forced to leave the planet.” Garazeb said, saying the last remark with just a small amount of humor as he exited the ship. Chopper morbidly chuckled in response to that last remark.

 

“Sooo… you, Zeb, and Chopper are pretty tight, huh?” Dinua Jeban knowingly said as soon as the boarding ramp for the _Aliit_ closed.

 

“Of course, Dinua. He’s been a friend of mine for over sixty years, and we’ve kept in contact after we went our separate ways over fifty years ago in order to help our individual people rebel against the Empire.”

 

“And Chopper? How do you know him?” Mirta curiously asked as she sat back down.

 

“He originally belonged to the Old Republic during the Clone War, but his bomber crashed near the Syndulla residence while the battle for Ryloth was being fought during the Outer Rim Sieges in the last six months of the Clone War, and Hera rescued him, earning his loyalty ever since. He was never the same after Hera’s death by Ezra’s hand.” Sabine remorsefully said.

 

“You really miss your comrades, don’t you?” Mirta sympathetically said.

 

“Just like you miss your mother, Mirta.” Sabine replied in confirmation. Chopper callously laughed at that remark, earning a death glare from Mirta.

 

“Is he always this rude and inconsiderate?” Dinua said in observation.

 

“Unfortunately, he’s like that most of the time. He was friends with an RA-7 protocol droid named AP-5, but he was destroyed, along with Commander Sato and a lot of other good soldiers, when the Empire found our base on Atollon after we destroyed their industrial capabilities in the Lothal Sector.” Sabine said.

 

“Hey, whatever happened to that Clone Trooper captain that helped the Rebellion after Darth Vader ambushed the Phoenix Squadron rebel cell, uh… Rex, wasn’t it?” Dinua curiously asked Sabine.

 

“Ezra killed him as well when he tried to reason with the kid after he killed Kanan and Hera.” Sabine bitterly said as her lips quivered as she recalled seeing Ezra beheading Rex before he stole the Y-Wing to escape the Rebel Fleet.

 

“Oh. Me and my big mouth.” Dinua regretfully said as she quickly stopped talking in order to prevent Sabine from becoming even more upset.

 

“So, what do we do until Supreme Commander Orellios is ready with his army and strike team?” Mirta said, hoping to move the conversation along to more practical matters.

 

“Well, Chopper and I can show you some of the palace’s most interesting sites, and we can train for the next two days.” Sabine suggested, just as eager to forget this conversation as Mirta was.

 

“Good.” Jintar, Dinua’s husband, said, grateful that the eight Mandalorians wouldn’t die of boredom before the Lasats were ready for battle. “So, Chop, why don’t you get us started on that tour that Zeb promised us?”

 

Chopper beeped in affirmation, and led the group out of the Corellian Engineering Corporation VCX-100 light freighter, and began the unofficial tour of the palace.

**Well, that ends the shortest chapter of my story yet, and hopefully the shortest chapter of all in this story. So, how did you guys enjoy the latest episode of _Star Wars Rebels_ , and all of the _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_ references that popped up in the episode, because I certainly did? I have to admit; I was both surprised and impressed by how Ezra got Rex and Kalani to work together in order to escape the Empire, as I was so sure that Ezra’s recklessness would get the Rebels into another bit of trouble. Well, I guess that it’s good to be wrong sometimes. By the way, I have recently been watching a bunch of _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ episodes online, and they rock just as much as ever. I also noticed that _The Legend of Korra_ episodes were put on YouTube, and, aside from one major disagreement that I will not name, I loved the series just as much as _Avatar: The Last Airbender_. Anyway, I might have to slow down on my writing for this story, as I am about to start working at a local library, and my classes are getting tougher and tougher, not to mention the help that I give at my local help center. So, between all of those things, I am going to be swamped. By the way, in case you don’t watch _Star Wars Rebels_ and _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_ , I am including both shows in my story, as the gaps in the Expanded Universe’s timeline permit, of course, as well as my own predictions on some things that probably won’t happen in _Rebels_. You will see many more things like what happened in this chapter happen many more times in my stories. I hope that you enjoy them, as I have put my heart and soul into writing these pieces of work. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe! (One last thing, I can’t believe that I’ve almost reached ten thousand words in this story, and not even a month has gone by since I started writing this story. Quite amazing, hen you stop to think about it.)**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hello, everybody! How are you doing on this cold Sunday, which is October 23, 2016? I am doing alright, as I just got back from my church and had a little desert, and I am eager to get back to writing my brilliant stories. Now, before I continue, I would like to address a few unanswered questions that I left unresolved in my previous chapter. First, I don’t know how the government on Lira San works, or if there’s even one, so I just made it up, as well as the Lira San Grand Army and Navy. And, in addition, I am making the lifespan of the Lasat species around two hundred years old, so Zeb isn’t dead or retired by the time this story rolls around. And, I named Zeb’s children after Agent Kallus and Hera Syndulla in order to honor their roles in the saga, even if, officially, they are of the new canon. Well, that ends my introductions to the original, and what I consider to be true, Expanded Universe. Hey. Once I have finished this chapter, I will exceed ten thousand words in this story. Isn’t that great or what? Anyway, what comic books are you going to collect in the near future, as I am going to collect _Star Wars #24_ and _#25_ , _Star Wars: Han Solo #5_ , _Star Wars #Annual #2_ , _Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Annual #1_ , the series _Injustice: Ground Zero_ , and leave _Star Wars: Doctor Aphra_ and the remainder of the _Star Wars_ issues to be purchased in their graphic novel forms in order to save some money, as it is cheaper to buy them as graphic novels online instead of the individual comics at comic book stores. But, I will purchase the _Mass Effect_ and _Dragon Age_ comics as they come out, as I want to purchase at least four comics a month, as it has been a little tradition of mine ever since I started collecting all of the original _Star Wars_ Expanded Universe comics. Anyway, with all of the small talk out of the way, let’s get on with the story, as we will now find out what has been going on with the rest of the Shadow Alliance, especially Kyle Katarn and the Skywalker and Solo families.**

_One Day Later, In the Mandalore System, On the Planet Mandalore, Outside the City of Kyrimorut_

At the moment, Ben Skywalker was close to falling off of the edge of self-control as he saw the current Jedi Grand Master, Kyle Katarn, calmly sitting in the makeshift briefing room in the camp outside the devastated Mandalorian city of Kyrimorut along with the holographic or physically present remaining members of the Shadow Alliance’s High Command, its supreme commander, Nek Bwua’tu, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa Solo, the members of the Jedi High Council, and the members of the resurrected Grey Cadre. Despite the Shadow Alliance’s decisive victory over Natasi Daala and her Neo Death Watch forces, there was still the problem of the One Sith and their surviving slaver and corporate forces that were in hiding on the Sith tomb world of Korriban, as well as the depleted forces of the Shadow Alliance, who had to watch over the defeated Neo Death Watch and renegade Galactic Alliance forces in order to make sure that the crews and armies that comprised Daala’s forces didn’t try to pull a crazy stunt over the Jedi and their allies. And, to make matters worse, his former apprentice, Edaan Palpatine, along with his crew, Artoo-Deetoo, Sabine Wren, Mirta Gev, Jaden Korr, one hundred of Sabine’s most elite Mandalorians, twenty-five Sith Sabers that Edaan hid from the Jedi Order and their allies, and two of Sabine’s former comrades, Garazeb Orellios and C1-10P, also called Chopper.

 

Ben’s reflection of his former apprentice’s latest, and most dangerous, scheme yet was interrupted by his father’s stern words to Kyle, as Luke had sympathetically said, “I just don’t know where we are to begin with you, Kyle.”

 

“You could start by doing a bit of cursing, Luke, old buddy, as that’s what I feel like doing right now to this idiot.” Han angrily said as his aged and wrinkled face stared lightsabers at the Jedi Grand Master, who remained stoic and calm in the face of all of this scrutiny.

 

“That won’t solve anything, Han. We need to decide what to do with Kyle in light of this gross error in judgment, not cause infighting within our own ranks.” Leia lightly scolded her husband.

 

“How about we don’t do anything, Solo?” Boba Fett brusquely said as he folded his arms against his chest, a sentiment that Azzim Anjilic Atirue shared by doing the same gesture.

 

“What are you getting at, Fett?” Han annoyingly said.

 

“What I’m “getting at”, Solo, is that we take a leap of faith with Edaan and the others in their quest, as, so far, he’s had a knack for doing the impossible, and he might actually succeed in saving Vestara and undermining the One Sith’s forces.” Boba said, earning shocked looks from everyone present, including Kyle Katarn, to whom Boba gestured as he continued to speak, saying, “And, as for Grand Master Katarn, he should stay on as Jedi Grand Master, as he has a knack for making hard decisions for the whole Jedi Order, which most of you Grand Masters aren’t very good at doing, such as Kenth Hamner, Luke Skywalker, and Yoda, just to name three of the many Jedi Grand Masters.” Upon hearing those last words, practically everyone glared at the Mandalorian.

 

“Fett, this meeting isn’t about who did a better job at Jedi Grand Master than who during what time period. It’s about what’s going to happen to Grand Master Katarn for his duplicitous nature.” Traest Kre’frey, Confederacy Admiral, as well as member of the Shadow Alliance’s High Command, said, hoping to stop the tension that was simmering in the tent from boiling over into a lethal argument.

 

“You are right, Admiral Kre’frey.” Luke gratefully said as he got up from his seat to stand, saying, “We’re getting off-topic here, and it’s only dividing us when we need unity, now more than ever.” Traest gave a grateful nod at his words being heeded. “Now,” Luke continued, “Before we judge Grand Master Katarn, we will hear a few words from the defendant.”

 

After Luke finished speaking, Kyle gave Luke a grateful nod as he said, “Thank you, Luke.” Kyle then stood up, and said, “I have little to say in my defense. But I will say this: I believe in Edaan Palpatine and his goals, and I know that if you believed in Edaan like Jaden and I do, then you would be behind his plan one hundred percent.”

 

“But why, Kyle? Why do you believe in Edaan’s goals?” Leia confusingly said, still not understanding why Kyle said what he said.

 

“Because, like Vestara, I was an agent of the Dark Side, and it was through the compassion and mercy of a dear friend of mine, Mara Jade, that I was brought back to the Light Side. Not to mention that hope helped sustain me when Jan Ors was kidnapped by the Dark Jedi Desaan. So, in a way, Edaan and I are kindred spirits, so we understand each other.” Kyle explained, surprising everyone that was present.

 

“And you, Fett? Why would you personally want to help Edaan redeem Vestara Khai after all of the death that she and her kind brought upon your people, not to mention the rest of the galaxy?” Ben somewhat zealously said.

 

“I’m not doing it for any of you Jedi, especially you, Skywalker. I’m helping Edaan because he helped Mirta find her way back to our family and provided crucial aid in ending the Second Mandalorian Civil War, and I always pay my debts in full, so I think that helping you guys save a few Sith and kill the rest of them and their remaining allies will satisfy honor.” Boba stoically replied, earning a glare from the young Jedi Master.

 

“So, this is just a business deal for you, Fett?” Ben said with just a hint of venom in his voice as he spoke.

 

“It’s an partnership between me and Edaan that will stop yet another galactic war from breaking out, as well as helping him take out our mutual enemy. And, I’m looking after my people in the best way that I know how, by killing Force-sensitives. It just so happens that this time, we’re all fighting a common enemy together.” Boba countered.

 

“Nice to know that you’re mostly the same mercenary that I first knew when we first fought.” Han said with a modicum of humor in his voice as we spoke, earning a small chuckle form the Mandalorian.

 

“And at least you’re mostly the same rogue that I tried to capture all of those decades ago.” Boba retorted as several of the people chuckled at the banter being displayed between the two former enemies.

 

“All right, all right, that’s enough.” Nek said after he stopped laughing at the repartee between the two fighters. “We need to decide what to do about Grand Master Katarn, as he has said his piece, and we have troop movements to plan with regards to the upcoming invasion of Korriban, not to mention what we’re going to do with regards to the fifty Sith that have shown up at our doorstop, as well as changing our security codes, fleet deployments, and so forth, since we don’t know if Edaan will break or not while the Sith have him.”

 

“Edaan won’t crack, Supreme Commander. He’s too well trained for that. But, I see your point. We need to prepare for any eventuality. Anyway, all those in favor of letting Kyle Katarn remain Grand Master of the Jedi Order, raise your hand.” In response to Ben speaking, Azzim Anjilic Atirue, Boba Fett, Ghes Orade, Venku and Jaing Skirata, Armand Vorn, Nek Bwua’tu, Traest Kre’frey, Turk Brand, Kir Vantai, Ponc Gavrisom, Releqy A'Kla, Ta’laam Ranth, Leia Organa Solo, Luke Skywalker, Kam and Tionne Solusar, K’Kruhk, Kyp Durron, Cighal, and Barratk’l, Corran Horn, raised their hands, shocking Ben as to how many people supported Kyle after he helped Edaan and Jaden on their suicidal quest.

 

“All of those opposed?” Ben said as he, Han Solo, Jaina Solo Fel, Trista Vel, Sintas Vel, Saba Sabatyne, T’ra Saa, Gavin Darklighter, Etahn A’baht, and Firmus Nantz raised their hands in opposition, disappointing the Jedi Master. But, he would abide by the decision nonetheless, as he said, “Very well. I will accept this decision, but I stand by my beliefs.”

 

“And that is your right, Master Skywalker.” Luke gently said as he motioned for Ben to follow him out of the tent. Both Skywalkers quietly exited the tent and went to an uninhabited tent, where they would be left undisturbed by anyone as they had a serious discussion.

 

“Dad… why?” Ben simply said as he and Luke sat down in a meditative position.

 

“Because Edaan is the best hope in stopping the One Sith, as he’s proven to be a true Jedi and leader time and time again. I have hope that, one day, he could even become Grand Master of the Jedi Order.” Luke explained, to Ben’s great shock.

 

“But… he’s defied the Council’s wishes time and time again to follow his misguided passions!” Ben said in protest.

 

“Didn’t you defy the Council when you were Jacen’s apprentice, as well as defy me when you fell in love with Vestara Khai, my son?” Luke said in gentle rebuke.

 

“Yes, and I paid for my mistakes, Dad. Edaan hasn’t.” Ben said before continuing, saying, “Why do you want Vestara redeemed, Dad?”

 

“I don’t know, Ben. I heard all of Edaan’s arguments regarding Vestara’s actions before and during the Battle of Coruscant, and, while I don’t agree or condone them at all, I believe that her actions were partially outside of her control. On Upekzar, she acted out of misguided love for you when she killed Natua Wan. And she didn’t know that Han, Leia, Bazel, and Allana were arriving in order to check up on the Barabel’s nest, and she avoided hitting anyone with the thermal detonator when she was forced to use it. I think that we should at least allow Edaan a chance to redeem Vestara. But, we need to prepare for the all too likely possibility that she can’t be redeemed. Anyway, do you want her to be redeemed, as I know that a part of you still loves her?” Luke said.

 

Upon response to hearing those words, Ben immediately got up and vehemently said, “My feelings don’t matter anymore. All that matters is brining Vestara, her partner-in-crime, Ship, and all of her allies to justice, and that’s something that Edaan isn’t interested in, only his crazy obsession with redeeming her.”

 

“One could say that you’re just as obsessed at finding Vestara as Edaan is, which can be considered proof that you still love Vestara. And, don’t forget that Obi-Wan Kenobi spent over a year trying to redeem Asajj Ventress after he found out about her tragic past on Rattatak, and even though he didn’t know it, his kindness had a profound effect on her, as, after the Battle of Boz Pity during the Clone War’s Outer Rim Sieges, she spent the remainder of her years living in exile on Rattatak, helping her people whenever she could.” Luke countered.

 

“That was a different situation during a different period in time, Dad. And, besides, I doubt that Ventress and Obi-Wan loved each other like Vestara and I love each other.” Ben said before he realized what he said, and looked down in shame. “Fine, Dad. You caught me. I still love Vestara, intensely. I’ve tried to let go of those feelings, but I never could, as I care about her too much. But I gave up on being with her after she betrayed and deserted the Jedi and helped try to kill Uncle Han, Aunt Leia, and Allana.” Ben despondently said before continuing, saying to his father, “And besides, Uncle Han would kill me if he found out the truth, so I haven’t told anyone about it, not even Seha, though I’m sure that she’s figured it out by now, given how smart that she is.”

 

“Then maybe you need to regain the hope that you’ve lost, because if Edaan succeeds in his quest, then you will have to confront Vestara and your unresolved feelings towards her, and how you respond could change the fate of the galaxy.” Luke said, not unkindly.

 

“What are you talking about, Dad? How will my response to seeing Vestara again change the fate of the galaxy, as I’ve seen her several times while chasing her, and we haven’t exactly had a good conversation whenever we’ve met in the last twelve years.” Ben said before he began to understand what his father was talking about, and a look of horror gripped his face as he vehemently said, “No, no, no! There is no way that I’m marrying her after all of the death and destruction that she’s caused across the galaxy, or making love to her in order to continue the Skywalker bloodline!”

 

“Ben, when we were on our way to Mandalore, I saw many terrifying visions of the future, and I need to tell you of them before you rush to a decision.” Luke said before he began to explain his visions to his son, saying, “In my visions, I saw many people infected with Yuuzhan Vong Coral Seeds, two great and terrible wars break out across the galaxy, the Jedi Order hunted to the brink of collapse by most of the galaxy, and the Sith rising in legions to rule the galaxy along with several Imperial Moffs and most of the Fel Empire’s Stormtroopers. I believe that Edaan is the key to stopping them, and that, like he so fervently believes, Vestara is the shatterpoint that will decide the fate of the galaxy.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell anyone of this?” Ben said, skeptical of everything that his father had just said.

 

“I did. I told Leia, Jaina, and the Jedi Council, minus Grand Master Katarn, which managed to sway most of them over to supporting Edaan’s impromptu mission to Korriban, as well as acquitting Kyle of any wrongdoings. I’ll tell Kyle once the meeting is over between the Jedi Council and Shadow Alliance High Command.” Luke said, sighing as he continued, saying, “Ben, Edaan has trusted you with his life for your decisions you’ve made over the years that the two of you spent together as Master and Padawan, now it’s time for you to trust him to make the right decisions as a fellow Jedi.”

 

“But that doesn’t excuse all that Vestara has done to the galaxy, Dad. She can’t just get away with all of the people that she killed.” Ben insisted, not yet willing to give up this verbal argument.

 

“And she won’t, Ben. But, try to remember that justice and atonement can take many forms, not just death or imprisonment.” Luke gently reminded his angry son.

 

“But, as I recall, even you and Aunt Leia wanted to kill her for her crimes during the Qreph Incident.” Ben countered

 

“Yes.” Luke said in agreement, before continuing, saying, “But ten years of retirement on my home world of Tatooine, as well as hearing what Edaan had to say over the years regarding Vestara, can really change a person in many ways, several of which are ways that you don’t expect.”

 

“Well, I hope that you and the others are right, because if you’re not, then we’re all going to be in deep _poodoo_ when we invade Korriban.” Ben said as he looked down in deep thought as he processed everything that his father had told him, and the two of them went back to the command tent.

 

_Four Hours Later_

 

For the past four hours, the Jedi Council, Grey Cadre, and Shadow Alliance’s High Command the changes that were going to be implemented to the Shadow Alliance’s navies and armies. As the three groups wound down their meeting, Luke had one last piece of advice for everyone as he said, “I was going through the troop reports, and, noticed that we had lost about a quarter of our forces from Daala’s invasion, and I think that I have a way to replenish our lost forces.”

 

“Well, don’t keep us in suspense, Skywalker, tell us your plan.” Venku Skirata said with a noticeable amount of hostility in his voice, but, since everyone present knew how well Mandalorians carried a grudge, especially against a Jedi that used and discarded so many of their people like tools during the Second Battle of Roche, no one called Venku out for his not-very-subtle insult.

 

“Of course, Venku.” Luke said, not fazed or offended in the slightest by the Mandalorian’s anger, and used the holotable to project an image of the Shadow Alliance’s fleet, as well as the remains of Natasi Daala’s Neo Death Watch fleet, which was staying grounded, or in orbit, in the case of the surviving Star Destroyers, on the dark side of Mandalore’s moon, Concordia. “I propose that we recruit the remains of Admiral Daala’s armies, and offer them a pardon if any of her forces survive the battle.”

 

“Forgive me, Master Skywalker, but are you sure that that is a wise course of action?” Nek Bwua’tu questionably said before he continued, saying, “We know that Daala motivated her troops with the promise of exterminating all followers of the Force in the galaxy, and I doubt that they, along with all of their Senators and leaders, would agree to working underneath Jedi and Imperial Knights, not to mention all of the Mandalorians that still hate the Jedi and their alleis.”

 

“Leave my wayward people to me, Bwua’tu.” Boba suddenly declared, getting everyone’s attention before he continued to speak, saying, “I can motivate Daala’s Mandalorians to fight with us, as all Mandalorians love a good fight in any form, especially against Force-sensitives.”

 

Bwua’tu stroked his beard in deep thought before saying, “That would solve some of our problems, but not all of them, Mandalore. We still have to deal with the renegade Galactic Alliance senators and their sector forces, and I doubt that they will be able to see things as clearly as we can, especially since the Jedi and Sith have always been a mystery to most of the people of the galaxy.”

 

“Captain Oric Harford and the Senators can’t see past their own self-interests, but most of the troops that served under them are decent people who did what they thought was best for the galaxy. If we can make them see that, then they and their ships will be ours to command.” Gavin Darklighter, Admiral for the Galactic Alliance, said from his personal Galactic-class battle carrier, the _Dodanna_ , building on what Boba had just said, earning approving from everyone present.”

 

“And the Jedi Council can recall up to six hundred Jedi from their assignments over the next eight weeks, so we can stand on more even footing with the One Sith, as we all know that armies and fleets won’t be able to win this war on their own.” Luke said, earning a few amused glances from several military leaders present.

 

“But what about the Sith agents and their proxies that are still alive out in the galaxy? Won’t they be emboldened by the decrease in Jedi activity?” Releqy A’Kla asked, wanting to cover all of the Shadow Alliance’s bases before they marched off for another war.

 

“We can divert several Jedi into certain sectors and systems in order to keep the criminal elements off-balance until we can destroy the Sith.” Kyle said in order to mollify the former galactic senator.

 

“Good. The Jedi are vital to the security of the galaxy.” General A’baht said, causing the Mandalorains present to roll their eyes at this opinion.

 

“Well, we have our basic strategy. Now, we’d better facilitate a prison transfer of Daala, Belok, and Melusar to Coruscant before one of their sympathizers tries to bust them out.” Han said, earning nods of approval form everyone present.

 

“Good, idea, Han. And, while we’re on the subject, I propose that a jury of representatives from each galactic organization, including the Jedi Order, Mandalorians, Galactic Alliance, Confederation, Fel Empire, Hutt Grand Council, and the Hapes Consortium, try these three war criminals for their crimes against life itself.” Leia suggested, earning nods from each representative, including Boba Fett.

 

“All right. I suppose that everything’s in order for this meeting. Everyone, go back to your quarters and get some rest. We’ve got a lot of organizing and planning to do if we want to make this invasion a success.” Boba said, and with those words uttered, the meeting was adjourned.

 

As everyone left the war tent, Ben said to himself, _May the Force be with Edaan and his friends in the dark days to come, for I fear that Vestara will put each of their limits to the test._

 

**And, that concludes another chapter of Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War III: Tribulation! So, tell me what you think of it, as I value all of your input. So, yesterday, I got _Star Wars #24_ , and I have to say that I feel that the arrival of SCAR Squadron was too late, as it would have been more interesting to see them arrive earlier in the story. Anyway, I am doing well in both of my courses, except for today, as one of my classes was cancelled for an unknown reason. It’s such a shame, as I had a presentation to present for my class. Oh, and I voted today, as well as gave blood, so my day was a bit eventful. Well, I’ve got nothing else to say today, so I’d better go. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	5. Chapter 4

**Good afternoon, Star Wars Expanded Universe connoisseurs. How are you doing on this warm Friday, October 28, 2016? I am fine, as I just got back from working at my local help center, as well as having lunch at a local Cook-Out at a cheap and affordable price. Anyway, I am excited for more _Star Wars Rebels_ episodes that resume next work, as I enjoy the series a lot, even though I now can’t integrate too much of it into my head canon, due to its conflict with the Expanded Universe. And, speaking of good stories, I hope that one of the stories that I listed as a favorite on my fanfiction.net page gets updated soon, as I crave good stories to read online. Anyway, speaking of stories, I forgot to tell you guys that last Friday, I bought a 1997 edition book on Stonewall Jackson, who I think was a great general and great Christian, even if he was fighting for the wrong side during the American Civil War, at my local help center for only seven cents! And the book is over nine hundred pages long which should take me a few weeks to go through, as I love reading so much, even more than writing these stories, which I enjoy a lot. Hey, can you guys believe that it’s almost November? Man, time just flies by too fast these days, and I imagine that a lot of you feel the same way as I do. Anyway, are all of you guys eager for the next Dragon Age game whenever it comes out, as I know that I am after playing _Dragon Age: Inquisition_? And that, by far, was one of the top five games that I’ve ever played, right up there with _The Witcher III: Wild Hunt_. By the way, I just realized that, up to this point, I have written over fourteen thousand words in this story since October 15. I don’t know about all of you, but that makes me so proud, as it means that my creative juices are just flowing like a river right out of my mind. So, with all of the small talk out of the way, what do you say that we get on with this very exciting story, as our protagonist, his allies, and one antagonist that I’m sure that all of you can figure out who it is, will soon go through many great trials of the body, mind, and spirit? You ready? Okay! But, before I begin writing this chapter, let me just say that I am very grateful to all of you for sticking with me so far over the last eight months and twenty-five days, as I’m sure that at least some of you have, to put it lightly, disagreed with some of the things that I’ve said in my author’s notes, as well as the content of my story, and, while I might disagree with some different viewpoints that some people might possess, I stand by my beliefs and opinions, and I hope that you can respect me sticking to my beliefs and principles. Oh, and SPOILER ALERT!! This chapter will reveal how Edaan Palpatine can be a descendant of Emperor Palpatine, which I’m sure that many of you have wished to know the details of for quite some time.**

 

_Day 78 Since the Shadow Alliance’s Formation_

_Fifty-One days Until Operation: Endgame_

_Just Outside the Horuset System, onboard the_ Second Chance

_2135 Hours_

 

“Hey, Edaan! I’ve got about twelve ships coming out of hyperspace!” Akku Sei II shouted from the ship’s cockpit into the main hall, where the young Jedi, his wife, Adari, and their ally, former Lost Tribe of the Sith Saber Seelah Verge, were meditating on the Force in order to center their minds and souls before they made the final leg of the journey into the Horuset System, where the Sith mausoleum world of Korriban, and the planet’s latest inhabitants, the One Sith and their corporate and slaver allies, were currently holed up.

 

“Do we have an ID on each of those ships?” Edaan said as the three Force-sensitives got up off of the floor in order to go to the cockpit of the CEC YT-1300 light freighter.

 

“Just a second, my friend.” The Anzati Mandalorian/assassin stoically said as Edaan, Adari, and Seelah took their seats in the cockpit. After about five seconds of receiving data from, the ship’s sensors, he replied, saying, “I’ve got the ships’ signatures: Four Firespray Pursuit-class Starfighters, Three _Stathas_ -class freighters, one CEC VCX-100 light freighter, and four Sentinel-class Shuttles. I’d guess that Sabine found her longtime friends, and those two came along with some reinforcements.”

 

“Well, I won’t say ‘no’ to some much-needed reinforcements.” Edaan gratefully said as the twelve ships exited hyperspace, and stopped just a handful of kilometers away from the _Second Chance_ , causing the four warriors to breathe a sigh of relief as there were no pointless casualties. After about a minute, the communicator within the _Second Chance_ began to beep, causing Seelah to activate it, and the image of Sabine Wren, Mirta Gev, and a Lasat male that appeared to be in his early one hundreds, who Edaan assumed to be Sabine’s longtime Lothal Rebel teammate and comrade, Garazeb Orrelios.

 

“Good to see that you two made it out of the Lira San Star Cluster, Sabine, Mirta.” Edaan gratefully said before turning his head to face the Lasat, and then asked, “Am I correct to assume that you are General Garazeb Orrelios, former member of the Lothal Rebels, and longtime friend of Sabine Wren?”

 

“ _You assume correctly. Oh, and it’s Supreme Commander now. I got promoted about three years ago._ ” The Lasat cordially said. “ _And am I correct to assume that you are Jedi Knight Edaan Palpatine, great-great-grandson of Emperor Palpatine, also known as Darth Sidious?_ ”

 

“Guilty as charged, I’m afraid, Supreme Commander.” Edaan sheepishly said as he scratched the back of his head with one hand.

 

“ _Don’t worry, Palpatine. I’m not going to kill you, if that’s what you’re afraid of. Sabine told me all about you and your quest to redeem Vestara Khai, and me and my seventy-five personal guards are at yours and Sabine’s disposal._ ” Garazeb mock-disappointingly said.

 

“Seventy-five elite Lasat guards? That’s very good news.” Edaan said before asking, “Can we speak, face to face, Supreme Commander Orellios? I feel that we have much to discuss regarding the spontaneous mission.”

 

“ _Probably for the best, Palpatine. Oh, and skip all of the protocol nonsense since we’re here without the approval of the Shadow Alliance. Just call me ‘Zeb.’_ ”

 

“All right, Zeb.” Edaan said with a small smirk on his face as he continued to speak, saying, “Oh, and, if we’re going to ‘skip all of the protocol nonsense’, you can just call me Edaan, as that is my name, after all.”

 

“ _Fair enough, Edaan. Let’s just hope that you live up to all the claims that Sabine and Mirta made about you, or I’ll have to scream and rant at you until we die at the hands of the Sith._ ” Zeb replied.

 

_Ten Minutes Later_

 

“So, how long have you been plotting to redeem Vestara Khai?” Zeb said as he, Sabine, and Mirta sat down on the couch within the main hall of the _Second Chance_ , while Seelah, Edaan, Adari, their crew, and Jaden were there in holographic or physical form.

 

“Since the Lost Tribe’s Invasion of Coruscant. Why do you ask?” Edaan honestly said before asking that question.

 

“I’m just trying to understand how you’ve held out hope that Vestara can be redeemed after all of the devastation the she and her lackeys” Zeb briefly glanced at Mirta as he spoke. “had caused across the galaxy over the last twelve years.”

 

“Call it a child’s pure hope for change.” Edaan evasively said as he decided to change the topic, asking, “So, how long have you made Lira San your home?”

 

“I’ve been living on Lira San ever since the Pellaeon–Gavrisom Treaty was signed almost thirty-eight years ago. I found a good wife who died about four years ago, and had two children that you know very well, Kallus, who became a captain in the Lira San Navy three years ago, and Hera Orellios, who is a medic and healer that roams the galaxy, helping those that need her aid the most.” Zeb explained before asking, “So, how can you be a descendant of Darth Sidious, as I know that he didn’t have any wives during and after his ascent to power?”

 

“Well… it’s complicated, Zeb. I assume that none of you don’t know about the Jedi Prince Ken, as well as his father, Triclops?” Edaan said as he began to tell his tale, with everyone listening intently, even Adari, and she had heard this story before during the Invasion of Kesh.

 

“Uh… no? Should we have?” Zeb hesitatingly said as Mirta shook her head, but Sabine nodded, surprising everyone present, including Edaan.

 

“Wasn’t he a twelve-year-old grandson of Darth Sidious that was discovered by the during the first year of the New Republic, and Triclops was a genetically modified son of Palpatine, as well as Ken’s father who disappeared after those false Prophets of the Dark Side were eradicated?” Sabine said as she struggled to recall those long-buried memories.

 

“Exactly, Sabine. How did you know that?” Edaan said, amazed at this Mandalorian’s knowledge of classified files.

 

“I knew a guy that worked at Mount Yoda on Dagobah during the base’s brief occupation on the planet. He told me all about the adventures that Ken went on with the Heroes of Yavin before he left the New Republic in order to explore the galaxy. Anyway, what do those two have to do with your heritage?” Sabine explained before curiously asking the question.

 

“Everything, as Ken is my grandfather.” Edaan simply said as everyone but Adari had a flabbergasted look on their face.

 

“ _Uh… Maybe it would be best if you started from the beginning, Edaan._ ” Jaden said, wanting to move the conversation along.

 

“Fair enough.” Edaan said before he took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts, speaking as if he was in front of a class on galactic history, “According to my parents, Triclops, the genetic son of Emperor Palpatine, was created through the use of Force-sensitive DNA from an undisclosed source, and there were rumors that Palpatine’s Umbaran advisor, Sly Moore, was the mother of Triclops, but those rumors were never confirmed. Anyway, Triclops refused to serve the Dark Side, so Triclops was imprisoned within the spice mines of Kessel, where he fell in love with a “Jedi Princess” named Kendalina, and she conceived Ken, my grandfather. After his birth, Kendalina was killed by the First Empire, and Ken was taken to the Lost City of the Jedi on Yavin Four, where he remained for twelve years until the Prophets of the Dark Side Incident, and Triclops disappeared from the galaxy for good after he attacked the botched wedding ceremony of Han Solo and Leia Organa due to the madness that was induced by Triclops’s mind controlling implant.”

 

“ _Okay, but how did Ken end up on Coruscant?_ ” Jaden said.

 

“I was getting to that, Jaden.” Edaan replied before he continued, “Anyway, Ken roamed the galaxy for six years after that, and, after the Dark Empire’s dissolution, he met his soon-to-be wife, Kisara, while helping refugees on Coruscant after the Dark Empire left the Core Worlds. The two fell in love, and, two years later, married on the planet, where they settled down with two children soon after, and their names were Isis and Cosigna Palpatine, my aunt and father, respectively. They stayed there until the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion of Coruscant, where my parents died making sure that their friends and kids got off of the planet safely. They fled to Dac, where they stayed for the rest of the Invasion, and, once the war was over, they returned to Coruscant as soon as the planet was reconstructed enough for people to return to. Soon after, my father found a wife in a woman named Selene Kaedan, and the two wed a year after they met. They were mildly successful businessmen that hid their direct relationship with my great-great-grandfather, and had two other sons and two daughters that weren’t Force-sensitives, thank the Force for small miracles. Unfortunately, they, along with Aunt Isis, were killed when that vile Celestial-wannabee Abeloth unleashed ground quakes, underground volcanoes, and smog clouds on the planet, killing billions of people on the planet.”

 

“Wow. Your family has had a tragic past.” Zeb sympathetically said, not knowing what else to say to Edaan after hearing such a heartbreaking story.

 

“Don’t I know it, Zeb.” Edaan said in agreement as he rapidly shook his head in order to avoid crying after remembering the pain that his family’s death brought upon him.

 

“I had a couple of questions, Edaan.” Sabine said as she raised her hand as if she was back in the Imperial Academy.

 

“Sure. Shoot away.” Edaan said.

 

“How come you the only person in your immediate family that was Force-sensitive?” Sabine academically asked.

 

“I honestly don’t know, Sabine. It can only have been the will of the Force that the rest of my family was spared that terrible burden. What I do know is that when my parents found out just how strong my connection to the Force was, I was sent to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, where I would begin the journey that brought me to this point in my destiny.” Edaan replied.

 

“You’re one of those Jedi that believes that the Force controls every aspect of our lives, aren’t you?” Mirta hesitatingly asked.

 

“No, Mirta. I believe in free will, and the freedom to choose your own path, for good or ill.” Edaan honestly and passionately replied.

 

“Good to know.” Mirta gratefully said as she sighed in relief. “I don’t think that the galaxy could survive another Jorus C’Boath, or even worse, another Joruus C’Boath.” She continued, referring to the Dark Jedi and his clone that each played a pivotal role in Grand Admiral Thrawn’s life.

 

“Ha, ha. Very funny Mirta. I’m, thankfully, very little like them, if I’m anything like them at all. And, let’s hope that I don’t get to be as arrogant and self-righteous as the two of them if I get to be as old as the original C’Boath.” Edaan evasively said, earning a few chuckles from Sabine and various members of Edaan’s crew, including his wife, Adari. After everyone calmed down, Edaan said, “Are there any more questions, or can we go back to our respective ships and prepare for Stage Two of our mission?”

 

“Yeah. I’ve looked at your service record, Edaan, and I’ve noticed a pattern. Every one of your missions has had you take a detour in order to help other people in need. You’ve been planning this mission for quite some time, haven’t you?” Zeb curiously asked the young Jedi.

 

“Ever since I found out that Vestara deserted the Jedi Order, my elderly comrade.” Edaan said with just a hint of humor before he continued, saying, “But, to be more specific, I didn’t begin to build my power base until I started working with Ben Skywalker as his Padawan, and I followed the currents of the Living Force, which means that I followed my instincts and often disobeyed my master in order to help those who needed a Jedi’s aid. Just ask any member of my crew, and they’ll vouch for my actions.”

 

“It’s true. The boss needed my help in order to bring in a bunch of racketeers about six years ago, and gave me some choice weapons in exchange for aiding him.” Robonino said in confirmation.

 

“Edaan helped the Zygerrian Anti-Slavery Movement oust the former government six years ago, which allowed Zygerria to enter the Galactic Alliance with a Senate seat.” Atai added.

 

“Indeed. And, when he was a young boy, one year before he joined the Jedi Order, he helped me find the Bothans who forced me to torture my wife, as well as conquer the anger and hatred that existed within my heart.” Vua stoically said.

 

“Not to mention that five years ago, Edaan helped me and my family escape the rest of my people after we deserted the rest of the Iskalloni race, as well as establish new lives under new identities.” Jarael said in her digitized voice.

 

“Also, when Edaan was tracking a cousin of mine who happened to be a notorious crime lord, he helped to restore my father’s grave, the original Akku Sei, and saved the lives of my men, which is why that I follow him into this suicidal quest.” Akku Sei II said in his calm demeanor.

 

“In addition, Edaan freed me from his programming that bound me to serve him just before we went on this unauthorized and highly suicidal mission, and I calculated that this mission had a better chance of success if I came along.” Artoo said, earning an electrical shock from Chopper, who grunted in annoyance. Artoo responded by indignantly saying, “Chopper, you are selfish, cantankerous, and unfriendly towards outsiders. It is a wonder that Vindicator Brigade Commander Wren desired to include you on this mission.”

 

That response drove Chopper over the edge, and he charged at Artoo before being held back by Zeb, who then said, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! That’s enough, both of you! Artoo, stop insulting Chopper, you know how he gets. And, Chopper, don’t give in to Artoo’s taunts. Do you want everyone to start insulting you?”

 

Upon hearing those words of reason, Artoo backed down, and said, “You are right, Sir Orellios. Chopper, I apologize for my misconduct. It was unbecoming of me.”

 

“Well, that’s one droid that’s apologized. Chopper, now it’s your turn.” Sabine said in a motherly tone. The old C1 astromech droid negatively shook its head in response, causing Sabine to pull out an ion blaster, and said with just a hint of a threat, “Do you want us to deactivate you for this mission, because if you don’t apologize to Artoo, then you’ll go in the _Aliit_ ’s cargo hold, where you’ll stay until we leave the planet.”

 

Upon hearing those words uttered, Chopper sighed in defeat, and spoke to Artoo, who said, “Chopper, your apology was crass and stale. But, I accept your apology.”

 

“Good. So, Edaan, sounds like you’ve got a pretty loyal and diverse crew.” Sabine said, hoping to move the conversation along from this nearly fatal argument.

 

“I like to think so, Sabine. But, it’s nothing compared to the crews of the Ebon Hawk during its occupation by Revan and Meetra Surik.” Edaan meekly said.

 

“Hey, don’t sell yourself short, Edaan. As I recall from the Holonet, those two started out with next to nothing before they became legendary Jedi, and I think that you’ve already made a good name for yourself by taking down Xahsa Xizor, Natasi Daala, and each of their minions.” Seelah consolingly said. “Not to mention that you’ve united most of the entire galaxy against the Sith in over a year, which no Jedi has ever managed to do in such a short time.”

 

After chuckling for a minute upon hearing the truth of Seelah’s words, Edaan said, “Yeah, I guess that you’ve got a point, Seelah. So, now that the meeting’s out of the way, how about we all get a good night’s rest before we head into the abyss, and, at, oh, say, 0900 Hours, we head to Korriban in order to commence Phase Two of our impromptu mission?”

 

“Sounds like a plan to me, Boss.” Robonino said, his voice full of enthusiasm as he rubbed his hands together while speaking. “I can’t wait to start gunning down some Sith and more of their minions.”

 

“Don’t get carried away, Robo. Killing Sith is no easy feat, and Edaan and I should know, since we’ve killed at least dozens of them while on Kesh.” Adari warned her friend.

 

“Oh, I know. I’m just eager to get down and dirty.” Robonino nonchalantly replied.

 

“Well, you’ll get your chance soon enough, my friend, as we will soon reach Korriban. All right.” Edaan said as he stretched after staying still for the last thirty minutes, before continuing, saying, “Let’s get to our assigned ships and get some rest before we enter the Horuset System, because, once we enter that system, there’s no turning back.”

 

“Agreed.” Everyone said, except for Chopper, who just warbled in agreement before they went to their bunks on their respective ships.

 

But, just before Zeb and Sabine left the Second Chance to reenter their ship, Zeb said, “Hey, Edaan?”

 

“Yeah?” Edaan said.

 

“I hope that you know what you’re doing, trying to redeem Vestara, because a lot is riding on this mission.” Zeb gravely said as he and the two Mandalorian women entered the docking ramp that led to the _Aliit_.

 

“Yeah. So do I, Zeb. So do I.” Edaan whispered to himself as Jaden disconnected the Holonet channel between his personal Z-95 Headhunter and the _Second Chance_ , and Edaan turned to face his teammates and said, “All right. Everyone, I recommend that you all go to your quarters and get some rest, as we won’t get a lot of it once we reach Korriban.” Everyone simply nodded at that suggestion and went to their bunks, except for Artoo, who rolled to the cockpit in order to alert anyone through the ship’s intercom if there was any emergency within the next eleven hours.

 

_Four Hours Later_

 

After Edaan and Adari arrived into their room within the Second Chance, they wasted no moment in showing each other just how much they loved each other. They practically ripped each other’s clothes off, and passionately made love in every possible way for the next four hours before Edaan rolled off of his wife, and Adari coiled up beside him as they began to drift to sleep.

 

“Are you ready, luv?” Adari asked Edaan in a concerned tone.

 

“As ready as I’ll ever be, dear.” Edaan nervously said as he shifted in their bed.

 

“Oh come on, you can’t fool me.” Adari said as she flicked Edaan’s nose. “I know that you’re going crazy inside, knowing that you’re about to find Vestara again, and that you’re afraid about who she’ll be after we drove her off of Kesh.”

 

“Ugh. Tell me about it.” Edaan confirmed as he sighed in defeat, knowing that he couldn’t lie to his new wife.

 

“I know that you’re scared, but trust in yourself and your training, and you’ll succeed in anything that you put your mind to. After all, that’s how you won me and countless others over to your cause.” Adari said in a reassuring voice.

 

“I hope you’re right, Adari, because I fear that the fate of the galaxy will be at risk if we can’t save Vestara.” Edaan nervously said as he unconsciously rubbed his wife’s back in order to soothe his frazzled mind.

 

“Don’t worry, my love. The Force will guide us on the right path, and I believe in you.” Adari said as she fell to sleep.

 

“Thank you, Adari Thayn Palpatine.” Edaan whispered as he too fell to sleep.

 

As he fell to sleep, he was greeted by three of his five dead Force masters, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, teacher of Feemor, Xanatos, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, appeared to him in a dream, Jedi Knight Revan, hero of the Mandalorian Wars and Jedi Civi War, and Jedi Master Meetra Surik, the woman responsible for ending the First Jedi Purge and resurrecting the Jedi Order from the brink of extinction, appeared in his dreams.

 

“I have a good guess as to why you’re here, Masters.” Edaan said, getting right to the point, as he knew just how high the stakes were for the galaxy. “You’re here to tell me that I’ll be assaulted by the Sith Spirits on Korriban, and that the concentration of the Dark Side of the Force will prevent any of you, along with Tau and Jacen, from reaching me.”

 

“ _You are correct, Edaan._ ” Qui-Gon said. “ _We are also here to tell you to be careful, as there are more dangers on the planet than just Vestara, Ezra, and the planet’s inhabitants._ ”

 

“What do you mean, Master Jinn?” Edaan said, worried as to what his deceased master was getting at with this statement.

 

“ _What we mean, Edaan, is to beware Darth Krayt, as I sensed the familiar presence of the Tusken Raiders of Tatooine on him, and the Tuskens accept few outsiders into their ranks, so be wary._ ” Revan gravely said.

 

“But, master Revan, there are few Force-sensitives that came from Tatooine in recent memory, such as Tahiri Veila and A'Sharad Hett, and they’re both dead.” Edaan confusingly said.

 

“ _No, Edaan. We fear that A’Sharad Hett survived the years, and somehow became Darth Krayt after Obi-Wan banished him from Tatooine._ ” Qui-Gon replied. “ _Don’t you remember the lessons that I taught you_?”

 

“I remember, Master Jinn. But, I also remember how, after he left Tatooine, he disappeared into the galaxy’s shadows, became a bounty hunter, and disappeared after beginning to hunt a man by the name of Resk. What does…?” Edaan stopped talking as the allegations of Qui-Gon and Revan’s words took root inside his mind as he horrifyingly said, “No. No, that’s impossible. It can’t be true. A’Sharad Hett was an honorable Jedi and warrior who hated the Sith and the Dark Side. He would never consciously serve it.”

 

“ _Even the most noble of Jedi and people can drift to the Dark Side without realizing it, Edaan. Remember what happened to Ulic Qel-Droma before the First Sith War._ ” Meetra said in her serene tone before continuing, saying, “ _We can’t be sure that Darth Krayt and A’Sharad Hett are one and the same, but we can’t let you walk into the krayt dragon’s nest without knowing this information, as it could prove crucial in stopping him._ ”

 

“I was already planning on being careful around Krayt, since he helped Luke Skywalker take down Abeloth in Beyond Shadows, but now I’ll have to up my game if me and my comrades are going to come out of this alive.” Edaan said in complete seriousness, realizing just how high the stakes were getting. After sighing in defeat upon realizing that he might have to fight yet another fallen Jedi, he said, “Thank you for the warning, Masters. Is there anything else that you wanted to tell me, or can I go back to sleep beside my wife before we throw ourselves into the abyss?”

 

“ _Yes, Edaan. Stay true to the core of your being, as it is pure light, keep your loved ones close, and prepare to accept aid from three dark allies._ ” Revan confirmed.

 

“Thank you, Masters.” Edaan said as he bowed his head in gratitude as the three masters disappeared back into the Netherworld of the Force.

 

_Day 79 Since the Shadow Alliance’s Formation_

_Fifty days Until Operation: Endgame_

_0730 Hours_

 

Edaan slowly woke up from his almost-completely blissful sleep, only to find his wife still fast asleep. Knowing that it was time to wake her up, he gently nudged her with the Force in order to wake her from her deep slumber. After a minute of stirring, Adari woke up to see the loving form of her husband staring over her before kissing her fully on the lips, and he then said, “Hey, luv. You ready to go down to the Sith’s homeworld in order to save your former overlord from her own darkness?”

 

“Only if you are, beloved.” Adari seductively replied.

 

“Then we’re agreed. Let’s wake up the crew, and get ready for our suicide mission.” Edaan said as he used the Force to bring both people’s piles of clothes close to them, where they quickly got dressed, and prepared the already awake crew, including Seelah, for their mission.

 

“Okay, good. Everyone’s awake. Let’s have a last peaceful breakfast together before we contact Sabine and Jaden and move forward with the plan.” Adari said, relieved that Robonino was displaying an unusual amount of professionalism for a mission. “May the Force be with us all. We’ll need it in order to survive this mad mission.”

 

**And, that concludes another build-up chapter before the main plot begins for this story. Now, I hope that all of you enjoyed my explanation of Edaan’s origins, as some of it was based off of real Expanded Universe lore, and the rest of it was made through my imagination. Anyway, I know that all of you know who Darth Krayt is, but I didn’t want Edaan to believe it, but he does suspect it to be true, so he’ll be on his guard. And, the reason that he won’t tell anyone about his suspicions is because he doesn’t want his crew to get all worried about what, at least, in his mind, he might not believe to be true. Anyway, sorry that my chapter took so long, as I had school to worry about, and I still do, and it will take up a good amount of my time in the next eight days, so only expect one update in the next eight days. Oh, and, Powerslammer, thank you for honestly reviewing and enjoying my stories, as it is so good to know that a kindred spirit like you enjoys my stories, and I hope that you enjoy what comes next, as it will be a great trial of the spirit for Edaan and his companions (Well, those who survive, that is, as I’m not sure that all of them will make it out of this mess alive.) Oh, darn, I just gave away more spoilers for you guys, which is bad, well, not really. Anyway, May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Hello, Star Wars Expanded Universe lovers! How are you doing on this fine Thursday, November 3, 2016? I am doing alright, as I just finished a big portion of my latest test for one of my community college classes, and I have come to a realization: I need more DVDs and Blu-Ray discs! More specifically, I need the complete sets of _Transformers: Armada_ and _Transformers: Cybertron_ (As _Transformers: Energon_ was terrible, in my opinion), Seasons One and Two of _Young Justice_ (As I desperately want that series to conclude properly with a third season, as I know that many people, including Greg Weisman, one of the show’s writers, wants the show to continue as well on Netflix), and the original _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ show, (but not its sequel, _The Legend of Korra_ , as, even though I loved the show immensely, I can’t support it anymore due to its ending and, please don’t hate me for saying this, as I just want to speak my mind in a restrained and responsible manner, my religious and moral objections to said ending, which is such a darn shame). Anyway, I hope that you have enjoyed my stories so far, as they will get even better as time passes. Oh, and An Origami Fish, I hope that you are reading my stories, as I think that they have significantly improved since I started writing exactly nine months ago. And, thank you to all of you loyal fans that have stuck by me for all of this time, as it means a lot that you enjoy my stories. Oh, and, on a sadder note, can you take a moment to pray for my mother, because of yesterday, her father, my grandfather, a man of true integrity and religious faith that a lot of people need more of these days, died five years ago on November 2, 2011, which makes me sad, but at least I know that he is in Heaven along with my grandmother, who died on January 10, 2008. Now, on a more positive note, I am so eager for the debut of Super Shredder on _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_ , as well as the Imperial Mandalorians that will debut on _Star Wars Rebels_ this Saturday, as those are, at least, I think this way, two of the only good modern cartoons that I will watch these days, as, in my opinion, practically all of Cartoon Network has gone down the toilet in today’s era, and Nickelodeon and Disney Channel are slowly falling. Now, with all of this small talk out of the way, let’s get on with this story, which will begin Edaan, Sabine, and Jaden’s journey on Korriban. Oh, and before I forget, I will soon do a throwback to _Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi_ comic book series. I’m sure that you all will love it. May the Force be with our heroes, as they will all need it.**

 

_0815 Hours_

_Onboard the_ Aliit

 

“Okay! So, now that we’re forty-five minutes away from our suicide mission, how about we all go over the plan one more time, so that no one can act like a _di’kut_ and forget the strategy for infiltrating Korriban and the Sith’s catacombs?” Sabine, eager to put Zeb’s mind at ease regarding her and Edaan’s ludicrous plan to redeem Vestara Khai, suggested to all of the captains of their respective ships.

 

“I still can’t believe that you managed to talk me into this mad quest.” Zeb quietly grumbled beneath his breath, causing Mirta to nudge him in the ribs in order to silence him so that they could plan their infiltration for the Sith tomb world.

 

“Alright. I, along with three Firespray ships, one Lira San shuttle, the _Aliit_ , and the _Second Chance_ , will arrive in the Horuset System and scout out the are so that we can find any gaps in the Sith, corporate, Mandalorian, and slaver forces that are within the system.” Jaden said from within the _Aliit_ , as Sabine insisted that the middle-age Jedi have a real and decent meal with the rest of her people before they all went into battle. “Once we ascertain a safe route for the transports to travel planet side, we will all head to the old city of Dreshdae in order to get any records that can help us navigate the planet’s catacombs, as well as learn how well-entrenched the remainder Sith forces are on the planet, and the Valley of the Dark Lords, where we’ll enter the planet’s catacombs in order to learn how many Sith are crawling on Korriban, as well as try to find Darths Kitai and Snoke, and try to kill as many high-ranking Sith and their lackeys as we can in order to try and throw the One Sith forces into disarray.”

 

“But, won’t the Sith be able to sense us enter the system, especially the Jedi and inhabitants of Kesh, since they’re Force-sensitives?” Dinua Jeban said as she sat across from Sabine.

 

“Our friends have already come up with a plan for that. They can hide themselves in the Force so that they can’t be detected, so the Sith will only sense us Lasats and Mandalorians coming, which will make them think that we’re just a simple scouting party for the Shadow Alliance. But there’s at least one flaw in this plan that I can see.” Mirta said, her face betraying her excitement at getting on with this mission, as well as continuing to atone for the damage that she helped cause during her time with Vestara.

 

“ _Ship._ ” Edaan said, quickly catching on as to where Mirta was going with this train of thought, referring to an ancient Sith Meditation Sphere that was simply called “Ship”, that had served many Darksiders over the years, ranging from Dark Lady of the Sith Lumiya, Dark Jedi Alema Rar, the Lost Tribe of the Sith, the Celestial abomination Abeloth, and finally, Sith Lady Vestara Khai from her time on the run after the Liberation of Coruscant, to her time on the run as a fugitive, to the Invasion of Kesh, and her transformation into Darth Kitai.

 

“Exactly, Edaan.” Mirta confirmed as she nodded, before she explained to everyone else just what Ship was, saying, “Ship is a Sith Mediation Sphere that’s at least five-thousand-year-old, it can be operated by any Force-sensitive, and said operator can create any weapon on Ship that they can imagine. Ship also has a mind of his own, and can operate on his own if he so desires. But he hasn’t left Vestara’s side in over a decade.”

 

“ _We all know about Vestara and her pet ship, Mirta. My people and I served alongside Ship and Vestara for several years before we were driven from our home world by the Jedi and their allies._ ” Seelah said, showing a small amount of venom in her voice as she spoke from the _Second Chance_.

 

“ _Seelah._ ” Edaan said, his voice bordering a caution, not wanting his friend to explode like he did when he snapped in front of the galaxy. The Keshiri woman heard his warning, and calmed down.

 

“ _Anyway, we need to prepare our sensors to transmit any valuable data that we find regarding fleet formations, troop deployments, and the layout of the planet’s catacombs to the Shadow Alliance’s fleet at Mandalore._ ” Akku said, earning nods from everyone that was present for the meeting.

 

“Agreed, Captain Sei. The three Firespray ships, one Lira San shuttle, _Aliit_ , and _Second Chance_ will make a microjump to the Horuset System in forty minutes in order to find a safe route to Dreshdae. Any questions?” Sabine asked, earning a shake of the head from every member of the strike team present, pleasing Sabine, who then said, “No? Good. Dismissed.” Once those words were said, the holograms of each of the ship’s captains deactivated their Holonet transceiver, leaving the _Aliit_ ’s crew members, and their residential Jedi Knight, alone with their thoughts.

 

“Well, thanks for the good breakfast, but I’ve got to get back to my Headhunter, as I’m sure that Arsix is eager to have me back.” Jaden said as he got up and stretched.

 

“Probably a good idea, Jaden.” Sabine said as she respectably got up from her seat and continued to speak, saying, “Let me walk you back to your ship. I’m sure that you could use someone to talk to right about now.”

 

“Okay?” Jaden hesitatingly said as the two of them began to walk to the room where Jaden’s spacesuit was located. He then said, “So, what do _you_ want to talk about right about now, because I’m fine?”

 

After sighing in defeat, Sabine said, “Fine, _I_ wanted to talk to you. I heard from some of the men within the Shadow Alliance that you were a bit of a loner among the Jedi, which is something that I share in common with my people.”

 

“I still am, Sabine.” Jaden replied before continuing, saying, “So, what’s bugging you? Is it that you, Zeb, and Chopper may soon face Ezra in battle?”

 

“Right on point, Jaden.” Sabine said as she ruefully smiled at this Jedi’s deductive reasoning. “I imagine that you have some experience in facing down your inner demons, having to face your Trial of Spirit during your Jedi Trials.”

 

“We didn’t have the official Trials back in my day, as the resurrected Jedi Order was still in its newborn years during my efforts to end the Disciples of Ragnos Crisis, but I’ve had to face my own share of demons over the years, especially after the Second Galactic Civil War.” Jaden honestly replied, piquing Sabine’s interest.

 

“Really? You had to face down your inner demons after Darth Caedus was killed?” Sabine curiously said.

 

“Yeah. I had to help a five-thousand-year-old Jedi Master stop a five-thousand year-old Sith Dreadnaught that somehow traveled through time, deal with a group of Force-sensitive Imperial clones that were commissioned by Grand Admiral Thrawn, and deal with a Rakatan Dark Side entity in the course of a week. And I did it all with the help of Junker Khedryn Faal, and his former partnew my late apprentice, Marr Idi-Shael, before he was killed by Daala’s insanity.” Jaden quickly said without a hint of pride in his voice, but his voice cracked upon speaking of his former Padawan.

 

“Wow.” Sabine simply said, unable to come up with a better response, shocked that Jaden had such a crazy life, and that his former Cerean Padawan was one of Daala’s Jedi victims of her and Roly Melusar’s experiments. “I’m sorry for what happened to Marr, Jaden. I couldn’t have helped him, or any of Daala’s victims without blowing my cover, and that would have gotten me and my men butchered.” She sympathetically said, before she adopted a more curious tone and asked, “So, what happened to Khedryn, as I can imagine that hearing that his old friend had been butchered by lunatics can really affect a person’s mental stability?”

 

After sighing in depression as he started to put on his spacesuit, he said, “He cut all ties with everyone in the Jedi Order except for me, and went off to hunt the ones responsible for the crime, while I provided him with leads as to who killed Marr. One month later, his ship, the _Junker_ , was reported destroyed in the Corporate Sector. Obviously, Daala paid off the locals to kill him. I just wish that he was still with us, as you would have liked him.”

 

“I’m sure that I would have.” Sabine compassionately said as she handed Jaden his space helmet, which he graciously took after nodding in thanks. Before he could put it on, she abruptly said, “Got any advice on dealing with your demons, both internal and external?”

 

“Keep your friends close, and your morals even closer, because, sometimes, they’re all that you have in order to differentiate yourselves from your enemies. And, most of all, trust yourself, as you’ve gotten this far in your life, so you must be doing something right.” Jaden said, afterwards, attaching his helmet to his spacesuit.

 

“Thanks, Jaden.” Sabine gratefully said as she gave Jaden a hug in gratitude, afterwards, she said, “Hey, Jaden?” The middle-aged Jedi then turned to face her, who then said, “May the Force be with you.”

 

Jaden, behind his helmet, nodded in thanks, and then activated the ray shields that immediately surrounded him in order to prevent Sabine from getting sucked out into the vacuum of space. Once the Jedi entered his Z-95 Headhunter, Sabine pressed on one of the buttons on her gauntlets that were linked to the _Aliit_ ’s systems, and closed the ship’s ramp and ray shields. She then went back to the main hall, where Dinua, Zeb, Mirta, and Chopper were still at, apparently exchanging war stories.

 

“Alright, alright, guys. That’s enough chitchat. Get your _shebs_ into action, as we’ve only got thirty-five minutes until we make our move.” Sabine said in a commanding and amused tone.

 

“Yeah, yeah, Sabine. This isn’t my first mission, so don’t treat me like a _di’kut_.” Zeb humorously responded as each of the three warriors got up from the table, and Chopper grumbled as he rolled to the Aliit’s cockpit, followed by Sabine, Zeb, Dinua, and Mirta, who took their respective seats in the cockpit.

 

“So, it’s almost just like the old days.” Zeb said in a contemplative tone. “We’ve even got a pair of Jedi on our side, along with a big-time resistance leader, so at least Kanan and Hera are with us in spirit.”

 

“Yeah, I know what you mean, buddy.” Sabine mournfully said as she prepped her personal CEC VCX-100 Light Freighter for its imminent jump into hyperspace.

 

_0858 Hours_

_Onboard the_ Second Chance

 

“All systems ready?” Edaan asked into the CEC YT-1300 Light Freighter’s intercom.

 

“ _Both turrets are ready to fire upon your command, boss._ ” Robonino said, his voice full of enthusiasm as the Patrolian bounty hunter spoke.

 

“ _As am I, Edaan._ ” Vua confirmed from the turret that he was manning.

 

“ _The engines and shields are operating at one hundred percent efficiency._ ” Atai dutifully said as Artoo spoke into the Zygerrian’s comlink, saying, “ _Affirmative, Edaan._ ”

 

“The ship’s three droid brains are operating at peak effectiveness.” Jarael said.

 

“And, the ship’s concussion missile launchers are functioning at one hundred percent, my friend.” Akku said from his seat in the _Second Chance_ ’s cockpit.

 

“Excellent.” Edaan triumphantly said, and then passionately kissed Adari on the lips for ten whole seconds, causing Akku and Seelah to adopt an amused expression on their faces.

 

Once the kiss ended, Adari looked confused as she asked, “What was that for?”

 

“For luck.” Edaan responded as he went back to preparing the ship’s hyperdrive for a microjump into the Horuset System, where everyone on this illicit strike team would face their destinies.

 

“I didn’t know that you believe in luck, Edaan.” Seelah curiously asked.

 

“Hey, there has to be some way that Han Solo and Lando Calrissian do so well at Sabaac in the face of so many cheaters out in the galaxy.” Edaan defensively said, earning an amused nod from Akku and Adari.

 

“Uh… and the rest of my people play any gambling games while we were Sith, as well as when we were in hiding on Dantooine, so I have no idea what Sabaac is, or how it works.” Seelah nervously said.

 

“Sabaac is a big-time gambling game that is played by billions of people across the galaxy. I don’t play it, but Akku here does, and he’s quite the expert at it, as well as Pazaak, the predecessor to Sabaac.” Edaan explained to the former Keshiri Sith Saber.

 

“Well, when this is over, I am going to show all of you how to have a good time by irresponsibly losing money.” Akku suddenly declared, causing Edaan and Adari to chuckle in amusement.

 

“Assuming that we all survive, that is.” Seelah grimly said as the ship’s communicator activated, confirming that it was 0900 Hours.

 

“All ships, report in.” Edaan said as he activated the ship’s comms.

 

One after another, the other fifteen ships’ captains reported in, and Edaan gave the word, referring to Jaden’s Z-95 Headhunter, the most heavily armed Lira San shuttle, and the four Mandalorian ships that comprised the scouting force as he said, “All right. Jaden, _Kallus_ , _Aliit_ , _Ravager_ , _Rohlan Dyre_ , _Adenn_ , _Dragon’s Breath_ , may the Force be with us!”

 

With those words said, the Lasats roared in enthusiasm, while the Mandalorians shouted “ _Oya_!!” in response, and all eight ships made the jump into hyperspace.

 

_Meanwhile, on Korriban, Deep Within the Planet’s Catacombs_

 

Darth Wyyrlok, Regent of the One Sith, as well as right hand of Darth Krayt, sensed his master calling him through the Force, and, after confirming his identity to the ten Sith Sentinels that guarded his master’s tomb, he quickly made his way to his master’s stasis chamber, where his master resided.

 

Once there, he placed his head and hands on the crystal surface, whispering, “You summoned me, my master?”

 

 _Release me from the stasis chamber. Edaan Palpatine, Jaden Korr, and several surviving members of the Lost Tribe of the Sith are about to enter the Horuset System. Once that is done, alert Darths Kitai and Snoke of this development, and have them take charge of the planet’s security until I can recover from emerging from stasis._ Krayt telepathically said into Wyyrlok’s mind.

 

After overcoming his momentary shock, as well as slight gain in respect for the Jedi’s efforts to preempt the inevitable war between the Light and Dark Sides of the Force, at the Jedi’s audacity to invade the sacred planet of Korriban, Wyyrlok dutifully said, “It will be done at once, my master.” With those words said, he began to use the Dark Side of the Force in order to help his master deactivate the Stasis chamber, as well as think, _Let the Jedi and their allies come and try and stop us, for we have plans for Edaan Palpatine and Jaden Korr!_

 

**Well, that ends the shortest full chapter in my fifth story, _Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War III: Tribulation_. I am sorry that it is so short, but I didn’t have much to write for the last filler chapter before we begin the Infiltration of Korriban. Well, I can promise you that I will do my utmost best in order to create longer chapters. By the way, a little warning, it might take me a while to write my next chapter, as, not only do I have my community college classes to worry about, but I also have to figure out what I want to write next, as the next chapters will have to be very detailed in order to make this story novel-worthy. Now, on to more fun matters. Did you guys watch the latest _Star Wars Rebels_ episode? I was surprised that Gar Saxon, a character from _Star Wars: Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir_ , was made Viceroy of Mandalore, as that was yet another deviance from the original Expanded Universe that I do not approve of. In addition, I have watched the second half of the latest _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_ episode, “The Super Shredder”, and it was very dark in so many ways, that it was just so amazing, and I’m amazed that the show is just rated TV-Y7-FV, and not TV-PG at the very least. Speaking of good shows, how many of you watched _Transformers: Cybetron_ at all, and loved all of the humor that the show produced? I especially loved Thundercracker and his antics, from his ridiculous names for his ultimate attacks, to when his rear end was lit on fire by Scourge in Episode 28 (and I still remember when that episode was on YouTube, and I watched that scene many times over, as well as replay it in my head many times over these days), since that was the funniest moment in the series), and all of the bad luck that that character had suffered as a Decepticon. I really miss those days, and that’s one of the reasons why I plan to get the complete series to _Transformers: Cybertron_. Anyway, today is November 6, 2016, which is exactly nine months ago since I finished _Jedi Odyssey: Escape_ , my first step into a larger world (Hey, that was a good Star Wars reference.). Oh, and, minor spoiler alert, the Aliit is actually the Ghost, just given a new paint job, and including that Sheathipede-class transport shuttle that the Lothal Rebels acquired from Kalani. See, in my headcanon, Sabine acquires that _Ghost_ from the deceased Hera and Kanan, and, along with Zeb, recruits a group of Mandalorians and Lasats over to the Rebellion, forming the nucleus of Sabine’s Vindicator Brigade. So, with all of this idle conversations out of the way, May the Force be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	7. Chapter 6

**Hey, guys. How are you doing on this cool Monday, November 7, 2016? I am fine, as I have just finished working with my job coach today on trying to find a job for me, and I think that the results of my long search for a job may bear fruit soon. Anyway, I am excited for more _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_ and _Star Wars Rebels_ episodes in the upcoming weeks, as both shows are getting better and better with each episode. Now, if only there were more episodes of _Thundercats_ (the 2011 edition, to be more specific), _Green Lantern: The Animated Series_ , _Young Justice_ , and _Generator Rex_ , as those were, in my honest opinion, some of the best shows that were ever showed on an American television network. So, tell me, what other stories do you guys read on this site besides mine, as I have quite a diverse list of favorites on my fanfiction page that I would highly recommend for each of you fans. By the way, do you guys realize that, as of now, I’ve written over twenty-two thousand words in this story? I don’t know about you, but you can consider me very impressed, as it has been less than a month since I started my latest story. Oh, and before I begin this chapter, I want to give you guys an exciting tidbit about this story. It will include a big element that was first introduced to the Star Wars Expanded Universe in the novel, Star Wars: Riptide. Just try and guess what it is in the reviews, I dare you, as you’ll never figure out what it is. What I can tell you is that it will include a journey to find one new character’s purpose. One more thing, I can’t wait for the latest expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Eternal Throne, as I need more Star Wars Expanded Universe!!! Well, let’s get started on this chapter, which will begin the Infiltration of Korriban. **

**(November 8, 2016 addendum, and it’s a BIG ONE!!!!!!!! Warner Brothers Animation has announced that Season Three of Young Justice is being released!!! Hallelujah!!! Finally, a great animated show is going to be continued! Now if only _Thundercats_ , _Green Lantern: The Animated Series_ , _Generator Rex_ , _and Star Wars: The Clone Wars_ would be continued as well. Let’s hope that we won’t have to wait too long for the return of _Young Justice_ , as I am practically foaming at the mouth for this show now that my appetite has been wetted. Well, back to the story!) **

**(November 9, 2016 addendum, and it isn’t as big as before, but I just wanted to talk. So, today, I saw the election results, and boy, was I surprised. Let’s just hope that the madness of the 2016 Presidential election will die down now, and that no one does anything crazy, because I think that we’ve all endured enough craziness for one election. Oh, and I saw the movie _Hacksaw Ridge_ today with my mother, and it was an amazing movie. The movie was very riveting and compelling, and I have to say that it was very gory, which is expected for a World War II story that details part of the Battle for Okinawa during the battle for said island. If I were to give the movie a rating, it would be 4.8 stars out of 5, as it was very close to _Lord of the Rings_ and _Hobbit_ trilogy, which I think are the two best movie trilogies of all time, even better than _Star Wars_ , which says a lot coming from me, as I love the original six movies so much (well, at least the book versions of them, as I am a massive novel lover, but the movies were still pretty good.). Anyway, have you guys seen the movie, because if you love history, immense warfare, and a story of a man struggling to stay true to what they believe, then this is a movie that I would recommend to everyone? So, with this final addendum out of the way, let’s get on with the story, as I’m sure that you are eager for more of _Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War III: Tribulation_.)**

 

_0910 Hours_

_In the Horuset System_

_Onboard the_ Aliit

 

After a ten minute hyperspace microjump, the seven renegade Shadow Alliance ships reverted into realspace, revealing a moderate and deadly fleet of sixty various Czerka Corporation, Loronar Corporation, Corporate Sector Authority, Zygerrian Slaver’s Guild, and Mandalorian ships orbiting the planet. The fleet was comprised of one wing of _Kom’rk_ -class fighters/transports, one wing of _Bes’uliik_ Starfighters, a wing of lethal Mandalorian Fang Fighters, two _Keldabe_ -class battleships, eight heavily modified _Pursuer_ -class enforcement ships, thirteen _Dreadnaught_ -class Heavy Cruisers, three _Imperial_ II-class Star Destroyers, five _Invincible_ -class Dreadnaught Heavy Cruisers, and the surviving corporate and slaver forces that escaped the battle.

 

Sabine and Zeb were both in shock upon seeing all of the ships that were still loyal to the One Sith, and Mirta exhibited a look of disgust as she said, “Ugh. I can’t believe how many of my people are still loyal to the karking Sith after all that they’ve done to all of us. And no one make any snide remarks about my affiliation to Vestara, as I will shoot them in the head if anyone does so.”

 

“Believe me, Mirta, I wasn’t planning on it since the situation is too serious for it.” Sabine grimly replied as she activated one of the _Aliit_ ’s false transponder codes in order to sneak their way through the blockade. As she typed on a keyboard, she spoke into the ship’s communicator to each of the other six Shadow Alliance ships and said, “I hope that each of you have a fake transponder code ready, or we’ll never get through the barricade.”

 

“ _Don’t worry, Commander. Robo here is a master when coming up with transponder codes, so the Black Beauty is ready for action._ ” Edaan said into the _Aliit_ ’s intercom, his voice full of pride and confidence as he spoke.

 

Each of the other five ships confirmed their backup transponder code, and, three minutes later, a squadron of _Bes’uliiks_ and Fang Fighters arrived to intercept the seven ships, and one of the lead ships spoke into the _Aliit,_ saying, “ _Attention, unidentified ships!_ _This is Commander Rook Saxon, leader of the Neo Death Watch Fleet. Transmit your clearance codes, or be destroyed._ ”

“Uh, is that…?” Zeb asked to a scowling Sabine and Mirta.

 

“I’m afraid so, Zeb. Rook happens to be the daughter of the late Shadow Collective, later Imperial, and overall Sith lapdog, Gar Saxon, who just so happened to be an enemy of mine during the First Galactic Civil War.” Sabine growled out, and then calmed down and said, “Roger that, Ma’am. Transmitting clearance code now.”

 

After a full minute of anxious waiting, the voice of Rook came back through, saying, “ _All of your codes check out. Proceed to Dreshdae and land in docking bays 45 through 52 at once._ ”

 

“Understood. Be advised that eight additional ships will come behind us in twelve minutes, and will want to land near our position, so if you have anything available near our location, that would be appreciated.” Sabine stoically said, her voice not betraying any emotion.

 

“ _I’ll see what Supreme Commander Krrsantan wants. I’ll comm you when he responds. Die well._ ” Rook impatiently said, apparently eager to get out of this conversation as she closed the communications channel.

 

“Well, someone’s in a good mood.” Mirta sarcastically said as Dinua typed a message for the remaining eight ships to enter hyperspace to the Horuset System.

 

“Why is it that all of you Mandalorians are so obsessed with fighting? And that’s coming from a guy like me, so it must be serious.” Zeb annoyingly said.

 

“Because fighting is in our blood, and has been for thousands of years.” Sabine tensely said as she slowly guided her personal CEC VCX-100 light freighter down to the surface of the planet. “Let’s hope that the _Ghost_ \- I mean, the _Aliit_ , can get into Dreshdae without any screw-up, or we’re all in deep _osik_.”

 

“The _Ghost_? Wasn’t that Hera Syndulla’s personal ship? And don’t you mean the _Aliit_?” Mirta questioningly asked either member of the Lothal Rebels.

 

“Wait. You mean that you haven’t figured it out yet, Gev?” Zeb disbelievingly asked Mirta.

 

“Actually, I haven’t figured it out either, Zeb. So, could you tell us what ‘it’ is before we land?” Dinua curiously asked.

 

“Well, since neither of you two ladies have figured it out yet, we might as well tell you. The _Aliit_ is the _Ghost_ , just given a new name in memory of the ship’s original crew.” Sabine nonchalantly said as the ship shook from entering the planet’s atmosphere.

 

After taking a moment to process this revelation, Mirta simply said, “Well, I guess that explaines the _Sheathipede_ -class transport shuttle that is on the top of the ship.”

 

“Neither of you didn’t even come close to figuring it out, did you?” Zeb said as Chooper maliciously chuckled at the two younger Mandalorians’ stupidity.

 

“No, but there are at least hundreds of VCX-100 light freighters that are still out there, and I guess that I assumed that the _Ghost_ was eventually destroyed during the First Galactic Civil War, and that the two of you found a new ship.” Mirta honestly said while scowling at the astromech droid’s terrible sense of humor.

 

“Well, we live to prove you two girls, as well as everyone else in the galaxy, wrong.” Zeb humorously said as Sabine snickered in amusement, while Dinua and Mirta simply rolled their eyes at the not-so-subtle insults that were being directed at them as the two women in the back seats signaled the eight remaining ships to make the jump into the Horuset System.

_Fifteen Minutes Later, In the City of Dreshdae, Docking Bay 48_

_Onboard the_ Second Chance

 

“Wait, wait, wait, wait. So, you’re telling me that the _Aliit_ is actually the legendary Rebellion ship, the _Ghost_ , just given a new transponder code, and that Sabine’s been operating it for the last fifty six years?!? Robonino disbelievingly said to Akku Sei II as the former’s eyes bulged wide open, while everyone else’s jaws, including Edaan’s, hung wide open in shock upon hearing Akku’s revelation on Sabine’s personal transport, while Artoo was in the Second Chance’s cockpit, helping Sabine coordinate the arrival of their Mandalorian and renegade Sith allies..

 

“Yes. That is precisely what I just said, Robonino.” Akku stoically said as Robonino tipped his chair over, causing him to fall to the ground, much to the amusement of everyone else present, who laughed at the Patrolian’s misfortune. Even R2-D2 warbled in amusement at the Patrolian’s bad stroke of luck.

 

“Ouch. So, how did you find out about this, Akku?” Robonino skeptically asked as he rubbed the back of his head, which now hurt more than a bit.

 

“I worked together with Sabine on a mission about fifteen years ago, just after the Second Galactic Civil War ended, and, over the lengthy mission, she told me about the _Aliit_ ’s origins, and how she came into possession of the ship. Of course, she didn’t want anyone to find out about this, so she asked me to keep quiet. Out of respect for her past, and the mutual respect that we forged between each other, I agreed to keep the knowledge a secret.

 

“Di-Did anyone else know about this?” Robonino asked everyone present as he got back up on to his chair.

 

“I never found out about this, as I was so focused on redeeming Vestara for so long that anything else became… well… sort of a secondary concern of mine. Plus, the _Ghost_ , or I guess that I should say the _Aliit_ , disappeared from the galaxy after the end of the First Galactic Civil War, so everyone just assumed that the ship was retired and scrapped.” Edaan honestly replied after he closed his mouth.

 

“I came to this galaxy as a child six years after the First Galactic Civil War, so I would have never have heard of this.” Vua said in his trademark calm and composed tone.

 

“Yeah, and I’ve been stuck on Kesh with the rest of my people until about five years ago, so I’ve had to work hard in order to catch up on just the recent politics and history of the greater galaxy.” Adari said in concurrence with her Yuuzhan Vong compatriot as Seelah simply nodded in agreement with her fellow Keshiri.

 

“And I had the Zygerria Anti-Slavery movement to worry about, so a very old CEC VCX-100 light freighter that was used during the early rebellion against the First Galactic Empire was a very, very low on my list of priorities.” Atai said as he regained his composure.

 

“Yeah, and let’s not forget that I was on the run with my family from the rest of my people until Edaan helped us find our place in the galaxy as legitimate medics.” Jarael replied as she got up from her seat to stretch and loosen some of her tightened joints.

 

“I lost contact with the _Ghost_ after the deaths of Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus and Rebel Alliance Captains Hera Syndulla and Rex, and my adventures with the Heroes of Yavin prevented me from keeping in contact with Vindicator Brigade Commander Sabine Wren, Supreme Commander Garazeb Orellios, and, very reluctantly, C1-10P, better known to the galaxy at large as ‘Chopper.’” Artoo honestly said to a very irate Patrolian.

 

After stuttering for several seconds, Robonino tried to regain his composure as he said, “Okay, okay. I acted like an idiot. Now, don’t you guys think that we should be preparing to meet Sabine and Jaden, as well as prepare to get the data that we need in order to find the One Sith within the planet’s catacombs?”

 

“True enough, old friend, true enough.” Edaan said as he got up from his meditative position on the floor and went to his room, with Adari close behind him. Ten minutes later, the two emerged, where they emerged in Mandalorian armor. Adari’s was still the purple color that she personally painted on before the Defense of Mandalore. On the other hand, Edaan’s armor had a piece that was painted a different color, and said colors were black, red, green, blue, orange, and black, as each color, according to Mandalorian culture, represented justice, honoring a parent, duty, reliability, a lust for life, and justice, respectively, as well as a pair of Jaig eyes on the chest plate in order to represent bravery in Mandalorian culture.

 

“Hey, Edaan? Isn’t that the same paint scheme that you had on your Jedi Combat armor during the Defense of Mandalore? When did you have the time to paint it again?” Vua curiously asked.

 

“Oh, I didn’t. I was so busy helping Jaden and Grand Master Katarn map out the catacombs of Korriban that I didn’t have time to do much else. So I asked Sabine to paint a spare set of armor for me, as I know that she is quite the art aficionado, as her time with the Rebellion has proven for all of her art attacks.” Edaan said as he snickered in great amusement after he said the words “art attacks.”

 

“Well, I guess if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” Robonino said as he twirled his blasters in his hands and went to the armory to stock up on blaster packs and grenades in case the nine fighters got into a firefight.

 

_Twenty Minutes Later_

_Outside of Docking Bay 48_

“I never thought that I would see the day.” Edaan said in wonder as he, Robonino, Atai, Akku, Jarael, and a newly painted Artoo exited the ship to see Jaden, Sabine, Mirta, Dinua, and Chopper awaiting them, the three mentioned Mandalorians in full Mandalorian armor, minus their helmets, which they carried on their sides. Mirta’s armor was her classic sandy gold color, while Sabine’s was a simple pink and red color.

 

“What, being on a planet of pure evil that just so happens to be home to the most wretched hive of scum and villainy in the galaxy, not to mention an archeologist’s dream?” Sabine sarcastically asked.

 

“No. Seeing you abandon your one-of-a-kind artistic flair for practicality. Oh, and is see that you have an old Mandalorian Jetpack with you, similar to the kind used by Imperial Supercomandos during the last few years before the Battle of Yavin.” Edaan observed in good humor, causing Dinua and Chopper to chuckle in amusement, while Mirta and Jaden just smirked, much to Sabine’s exasperation.

 

“Okay. First off, I’ve gone undercover before, such as during my infiltration of Imperial Academy that was known as Skystrike Academy in the second year before the Battle of Yavin. I went by the name of Ria Talla, which is my cover identity here, by the way, had to face off against Lothal’s Imperial governor, Arihnda Pryce, get saved by former enemy and soon-to-be fellow rebel, ISB Agent Kallus, and narrowly escape an elite TIE fighter pilot named Vult Skerris there in order to get two defecting Imperial fighter pilots, whose names I can’t remember anymore since they died during the skirmish above Vrogas Vas over eighteen months after Yavin, by the way, and I resolved to keep moving forward in order to survive the grief of losing people that I’ve gotten close to!” Sabine said, all but screaming at the end, causing Dinua to put a comforting hand on her shoulder in order to calm the older Mandalorian down.

 

“I-I didn’t mean to offend you, Sabine. I was just making a witty observation in order to keep everyone’s spirits high.” Edaan hesitatingly said, not wanting to cause Sabine to have a total meltdown in enemy territory.

 

After taking a few calming breaths, as well as counting to ten in _mando’a_ , Sabine said, “I know, Edaan. I just… have a hard time dealing with losing people close to me, especially now. I don’t know why.”

 

“I think that I do.” Jaden suddenly declared, making everyone turn to him as he continued, saying, “It’s the massive concentration of the Dark Side of the Force. It can have an effect on anyone, even the strongest of minds such as on all of us, as I doubt that anyone here is weak-minded.”

 

“Boss, is that true?” Robonino skeptically asked.

 

“Well, during the era of the Je’daii Order, there were places on the ancient world of Tython that were strong with the Dark Side of the Force, and they could push even the most noble of Je’daii onto the edge of darkness and insanity.” Edaan academically replied, recalling the lessons that his oldest teacher, Je’daii Ranger and later Jedi Master Tau taught him. “In addition, the ancient spirits of the Sith and their followers can have an influence over the living while we are on the worlds that they died, so it could also be the Dark Side Force Ghosts, as well as the Dark Side nexus that was formed after the Great Hyperspace War, trying to drive us insane, just like in the Dark Temple on Dromund Kaas.” He added.

 

“Well, if those Sith sprits want to get inside my head, then they’re going to have to try a lot harder than this in order to brainwash me. And, Edaan, how did you manage to become so knowledgeable about Sith nexuses?” Mirta stubbornly said.

 

“Well, ever since I found out that Vestara left the Jedi Order, I spent almost all of my free time in the Jedi Archives, as well as with my five dead masters, in order to learn all that I could about how to most effectively combat the Dark Side.” Edaan honestly answered.

 

“Wow. I will say this for you, Edaan. You may be borderline obsessive, but you are certainly dedicated and determined when it comes to your long-term goals.” Sabine said, developing even more respect for this young Jedi.

 

“Hey, given that you were a big-time member of the Rebel Alliance, I’m sure that you’re still like that in many, if not all, respects.” Edaan humbly replied, earning a chuckle from the aging Mandalorian, before continuing, saying, “So, how are the rest of our troops, Commander?”

 

“They arrived safely, and are doing some reconnaissance in order to get a layout of the surrounding area. Don’t worry, they’re not attracting any attention.”

 

“Good. We don’t want to run into Black Krrsantan before we’re ready.” Edaan said, grateful that everything was, so far, going according to plan.

 

“Okay, enough with the small-talk. We need a plan to gather information on the Sith and their base of operations.” Mirta curtly said, eager to get down to business.

 

“Well then, why don’t we head down to _The Drunk Side II_ and listen in on some juicy conversations? Giving some people a few drinks, a few credits, and a few silver-tongued words can loosen a few tongues in many various ways.” Edaan suggested.

 

“I agree. Drinking large amounts of alcohol can make people spill all sorts of secrets.” Atai said, surprising everyone, as the Zygerrian was an exemplary follower of self-discipline, and had not consumed alcohol in years.

 

“Uh… Atai, are you feeling all right? You haven’t had an alcoholic beverage since you became governor of Zygerria.” Jarael said, all professionalism going out the window upon hearing Atai’s words.

 

“I know, but this is the fate of the galaxy that we’re talking about, so I think that the Force can forgive me for imbibing just a few drinks that contain alcohol.” Atai said.

 

“Okay, we have a plan, so we’d better get to work.” Akku said as he clapped his hands together in order to get everyone’s attention. After seeing everyone nod, or, in the cases of Chopper and Artoo, they warbled approving sounds, as Edaan had removed Artoo’s bilingual modifications in order to avoid drawing attention to the group, the ten fighters made their way to _The Drunk Side II_ , where they broke off into groups of two in order to cover more ground, except for the two Astromech droids, who separated in order to avoid getting on each other’s artificial nerves. Edaan went with Sabine, while Mirta stayed with Atai, Jarael was partnered with Dinua, and Jaden teamed up with Robonino.

 

As the four teams mingled, Edaan silently prayed to the Force, mentally saying, _May the Force protect my friends and loved ones in the dark days to come._

 

**And, cut! Sorry that this chapter took longer than the others, but I took yesterday off because I was playing _Mass Effect 2_ , as I discovered that you could now play it on the Xbox One, along with _Mass Effect 3_ , which I plan to play after I finish _Mass Effect 2_. Now, who among you is excited for _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ , because I sure am? By the way, today, another dark episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comes on, and I am excited for what comes next. So, as you know, I have been following An Origami Fish for some time, and yesterday and today, he published the first chapter of each of his two latest stories, _Legacy of the Jedi: Side A_ and _Legacy of the Jedi: Side B_ , and they were excellent. I highly recommend them to all Star War Expanded Universe lovers. Anyway, two days ago, on Friday, November 11, 2016, I saw _American Pastoral_ with my dad, and have to say that it was a fairly disturbing movie, but quite enjoyable. And, I finished my four-book series on a certain Science Fiction/Fantasy series a few days ago, and I am currently reading a book on Dwight D. Eisenhower. It is very informing and entertaining. I hope all is well with everyone, and I look forward to hearing from you all in reviews and emails. So, with all of the pleasantries out of the way, May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	8. Chapter 7

**Good evening, Star Wars Expanded Universe enthusiasts! How are you doing on this fine Sunday, which just so happens to be November 13, 2016? I am doing alright, although, I am a bit tired right now, so we’ll see how much that I can write tonight before I fall asleep. So, are you eager for more TMNT, because I sure am, and I can’t wait to see what internal struggles are in store for the Turtles and their allies, what, with April’s growing darkness and insanity due to the Aeons’ crystal. May the powers that exist in that TV show be with the heroes, as I fear that they will need it, along with all of the help that they can get, in order to survive whatever comes next. Anyway, have you guys been enjoying my stories, as I like to think that my writing abilities have significantly improved over the last nine months and ten days since I started writing _Jedi Odyssey_? I hope that you are, as soon, the heroes will have to endure great psychological and spiritual trials due to their stay on the planet, Korriban. May the Force be With the members of the Shadow Alliance in these dark days to come, as they are going to need it, and so much more, in order to survive the demented Wookiee, Black Krrsantan’s army of Mandalorian, corporate, and slaver forces, as well as the 2000+ legion of Sith that are somewhere within the planet’s catacombs. Well, with all of the small talk out of the way, let’s get on with the story. Oh, and one more thing that I should mention, I think that I’ll include a certain Jedi Master of the New Jedi Order as a prisoner of the One Sith’s dungeons, and this Jedi is a human clone of a long deceased Jedi Master who’s only inclusion in the original Star Wars timeline was in the video game, _Star Wars: Battlefront: Elite Squadron_. I’m sure that all of you can figure out who this person is. Anyway, on with the story! **

**(November 14, 2016 Addendum.) Did you guys hear about the _Star Wars: Darth Maul_ comic book miniseries that is coming out on February 2017? I don’t know about you, but that interests me, and I just might get it when the graphic novel comes out, as I want to save a few dollars for other purchases that I might make next year. Oh, and I’m doing well in community college as well, in case anyone was wondering. One more thing, my updates might take a little longer in the next couple of weeks, as I am spending quite a bit of time playing _Mass Effect 2_ and _Mass Effect 3_. Well, I’d better get back to the story.**

**(November 16, 2016 Addendum.) Hey guys, sorry to make yet another addendum, but I just wanted to share with you all that I have received the first volume of the Marvel Star Wars series: Star Wars: Volume 1: Skywalker Strikes, and, other than a few minor complaints, such as the needless cruelty that Boba Fett inflicted upon his victims, as well as his slight degree of unprofessionalism that he did not show in the classic Expanded Universe, which I still adhere to. Oh, and so far in my Mass Effect 3 play through, I am about to do Priority: Sur’Kesh in Act One of the game, and I can’t wait to see Urdnot Wrex again. Unfortunately, I do not have any downloadable content, other than the Extended cut of the ending, of course, so my gameplay will be a bit limited, but I will still have a great time playing the game.**

**(November 17, 2016 Addendum.) Hello again. Sorry to make another addendum, but I wanted to share with you guys something big about TMNT. I just saw two previews about the latest episode, “The Power Within Her”, and I have to say that April is genuinely scaring me at this point. I think that I suspected that when April received the Sol Star fragment from the Aeons, it would lead to trouble, as it was very similar to the One Ring form The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and, upon seeing "City at War" and "Bat in the Belfry", as well as reading the episode description for "Darkest Plight", I see that my fears were proven to be true. Let’s hope that the Turtles can save April from this “Za-Naron”, or everyone is in, to use a Star Wars expletive, deep _poodoo_. Anyway, I recently got the novel _Catalyst (Star Wars): A Rogue One Novel_ , and I am intrigued by what it holds, as I am hopeful that I can integrate some, if not all of it, into my head canon for the Star Wars Expanded Universe. If not, well, at least I got to read another Star Wars novel. By the way, I have just finished Priority: Tuchanka, on _Mass Effect 3_ , and will do the N7 Mission on Noveria tomorrow, and after that, Priority: Citadel. One more thing: I think that I will include another fallen Jedi as a Sith in my saga, one by the name of Malleus, who was originally known as Telloti Cillmam'n during the final years of the Old Republic. If you’re interested, you can learn more about him and his fall to the Dark Side on Wookieepedia. **

 

_Two Hours Later_

_In_ The Drunk Side II _Cantina_

 

“Well, did you guys come up with anything regarding out enemies?” Edaan said with just a slight slur in his voice due to the alcohol that he had consumed while gathering intelligence. “I found out that B- Black Krrsantan, the sole surviving J-Jedi hunter and commander of Natasi Daala’s forces, is within the city, and is leading the remaining Neo Death Watch forces and preparing the survivors for a siege once the Shadow Alliance arrives.”

 

“Well, I just spoke with Chopper, and he managed to discover where Black Krrsantan’s personal Appanzanna Engineering Works Auzituck anti-slaver gunship, the _Chuundar’s Legacy_ is located. The Wookiee has it in a private docking bay within the heart of Dreshdae, and he has it guarded by at least fifty men. In addition, he spends little time there, preferring to spend it amongst the troops, as well as disappearing into the planet’s tombs, likely to speak with his Sith masters.” Sabine said. “And, Edaan and I found a few troops that are sympathetic to our cause, and I managed to convince them to give us a layout of the city, as well as the locations of future artillery bays, which should help out our friends when they come.”

 

“Which is good, since we’ll need all of the help that we can get in order to stop this madness.” Edaan musingly said as he used the Force to accelerate the purging of the alcohol that he consumed from his body before he asked, “What about everyone else? Did you come up with any intel?”

 

“Jaden I found out where the main armories are, and I think that Artoo and I can sneak in and sabotage a good chunk of their weapons.” Robonino said, his voice full of his trademark confidence as he spoke.

 

“Promising, but we don’t want to make ourselves too conspicuous. Anyone else?” Edaan replied.

 

“Jarael and I found out where all of the tactical scanners and data libraries are. If we plan an infiltration accordingly, we can get what we need in a few days, tops.” Dinua hopefully said.

 

“Sounds good. What did Artoo and our other team discover?” Edaan said, approving of this plan, but willing to hear from all teams in order to be fair.

 

After Artoo warbled for several moments, Sabine menacingly said, “You found out that the Sith are keeping a secret Jedi prisoner there? And that Darths Snoke and Kitai are taking over planetary security?”

 

Artoo beeped in confirmation, and Edaan said, “Well, we knew that this mission into the Krayt Dragon’s nest wasn’t going to be easy, and that no plan survives first contact with the enemy. This just complicates matters, so we’ll improvise, which I know that we’re all good at.”

 

“Edaan, can you sense them using the Force?” Dinua asked in curiosity.

 

“I’m sorry, Dinua, but I can’t risk it. If I use the Force for more than just a passive use, then the Sith are bound to hone in on my Force signature and hunt us down.” Edaan sadly replied before turning to Artoo and asking, “Anyway, Artoo, did you identify who this Jedi is?” Edaan asked before Artoo twirled his head around once to emphasize that he did not possess that knowledge. “Well, I guess that we’ll find out soon enough. Now, Mirta, what did you and Atai discover?”

 

“We identified the surviving leaders of the Zygerrian Slavers’ Guild, as well as the leaders of the forces of the Corporate Sector Authority and Loronar and Czerka Corporations. They’re somewhere within the planet’s catacombs with the rest of the Sith, and never leave for fear of being assassinated by Shadow Alliance forces.” Mirta replied.

 

“Well, when we find them, we can take them out of the mix by eliminating them before the invasion begins, throwing their forces into disarray and causing some of, if not all of, them to desert the invasion. Well, unless the Sith and Black Krrsantan manage to keep them in line.” Edaan said, full of determination as he spoke, earning approving nods from everyone present.

 

“So, boss? Where do we go from here?” Robonino asked as he took a sip of his drink.

 

“Give me, Sabine, Zeb, and the others a day to come up with a game plan, and we’ll get back to you on that, because I can’t make this kind of call on my own, especially without coming up with a plan.” Edaan said in complete seriousness.

 

“All right. We’ll meet back on the _Black Beauty_ in one day. Don’t get killed.” Mirta said, wishing everyone luck as the eight people and two astromech droids headed back to the _Second Chance_.

_Meanwhile, in the_ Chuundar’s Legacy

 

“Can you sense the Jedi and their allies, Lady Kitai? They’re here, in the city.” Darth Snoke, the seventy-five year-old former Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger, apprentice to late Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus, and former Lothal Rebel and member of the early Rebel Alliance, asked to his fellow Sith as Black Krrsantan stood in the background, silently observing the meeting between two of his superiors.

 

“Yes, Snoke. Well, most of them. Edaan and Jaden are have changed their signatures in the Force, but I was able to recognize Edaan’s new signature due to its potency, and I recognized Jaden due to the reports that we had received on him. In addition, I can sense Edaan’s lover, Adari Thayn, along with Mirta Gev and Edaan’s teammates, minus the Yuuzhan Vong that Edaan recruited to his team.” Darth Kitai, formerly named Vestara Khai, Jedi deserter, former Grand Lady of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, lover of Ben Skywalker, and current Sith Lady in the One Sith order, simply replied as she stared at the monitor that caught images of the ten enemies leaving _The Drunk Side II_ cantina. She recognized six of the people as her former comrade, Mandalorian Mirta Gev, which elicited a modicum of sadness from Kitai, as she fondly looked back upon the days when it was just the two of them, along with her band of Mandalorians, fighting the entire galaxy, Mandalorian Dinua Jeban, veteran of the Yuuzhan Vong and Second Galactic Civil Wars, Jedi Knights Edaan Palpatine and Jaden Korr, Zygerria’s current governor, Atai Molec, Patrolian bounty hunter Robonino, and Jarael Chantique, an Iskalloni medic that deserted her people in order to pursue her goal of helping people, which Kitai didn’t get, but she respected the woman’s drive, freedom, and independence. In addition, she recognized the black-painted R2 unit as R2-D2, the Skywalker’s personal astromech droid. The other two Mandalorians, as well as the C1 droid, however, were unrecognizable to her, so she turned to Snoke and Black Krrsantan and said, “I’ve located Edaan and nine of his allies, and I’ve identified eight of his compatriots, but I can’t figure out who the last Mandalorian and their C1 droid are. I need one of you to identify them for me.”

 

After closing his eyes for ten seconds, and reaching out with the Force to sense the last Mandalorian, Snoke opened his eyes and adopted a feral smile on his face as he said, “Well, well, well. That last Mandalorian is my old friend, Sabine Wren. And, if I were to venture a simple guess, the C1 droid that you saw is C1-10P, better known as ‘Chopper’, another comrade of mine during my foolhardy days among the Rebellion. Oh, and I sensed that my surrogate brother, Garzeb Orrelios, better known as “Zeb”, is onboard the CEC VCX-100 light freighter, better known as my old home, the _Ghost_ , which Sabine apparently renamed the _Aliit_ in order to honor her lost loved ones.”

 

[Sounds like the Jedi are sending their best fighters to take us down before they invade. Let me and my armies attack them now, before they pose a threat to the master’s plans.] Black Krrsantan eagerly said as he clenched his furry hands together in anticipation of fighting an opponent as worth as Edaan Palpatine after so many years of facing mediocre enemies, including those two Imperial Knights that he had literally ripped apart during the Siege of Mandalore.

 

“Out of the question, Krrsantan. Lord Krayt wants the Jedi and their allies alive for interrogation, and we can’t get information from a corpse. For now, we let them proceed with their plans.” Kitai quickly snapped, causing Snoke and Black Krrsantan to look at her as if her judgment had been clouded.

 

“Or, could it be, that, instead, you want to destroy Edaan yourself for his role in destroying your Tribe, Kitai?” Snoke curiously said.

 

“My personal feelings don’t matter, Snoke. I just want the Sith to rule the galaxy again, and I no longer think of the Lost Tribe.” Kitai vehemently rebutted.

 

“I was just checking, Kitai. It’s nothing personal.” Snoke said as he returned to his monitor.

 

“Good. Let it stay that way, Snoke.” Vestara said as she turned to face the monitor that showed Edaan and his allies as they made their way to the CEC YT-1300 light freighter that was obviously the _Second Chance_ , but was now going by the alias of the _Black Beauty_ , which was fitting for its black paint job. As she observed the Jedi’s movements, she could not help but recall all of the times that Edaan and his former master, Ben Skywalker, her former lover, had come close to capturing or killing her over the years, as well as the crucial role that Edaan had in ending her rule over her home world of Kesh, destroying her people’s spirit and forcing them to become little more than vassals of the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances. And yet… there was something else about this Jedi that Vestara could not put her finger on, as if she had met Edaan before she became a fugitive from both the Lost Tribe of the Sith and Jedi Order. Figuring that if she could not remember it, than it was no concern to her, she brushed her wonderings out of her mind, and resumed her duties on observing the young Jedi.

 

 _Meanwhile, On the_ Second Chance

 

“Vestara’s here.” Edaan suddenly said once the crew, Mirta, Sabine, Jaden, Chopper, Dinua, Atai, Artoo, Robonino, and Jarael entered the Second Chance, the docking ramp closed behind them, and they entered the main hall, where Adari, Vua, Akku, Zeb, and Seelah were at as Seelah was observing a game of dejarik between Akku and Vua, while Zeb was engaging Adari in a hadn-to-hand training session. Everyone turned to face him in shock as soon as those words uttered.

 

“How do you know, Edaan?” Jaden asked, which Edaan respected, as the senior Jedi Knight had avoided the pointless question of asking “In the city?”.

 

“Because I sensed a very dark presence in the Force that I know all too well as Vestara Khai. And, I sensed two other presences in the Force that I couldn’t identify, but I was able to determine that one of them is a Wookiee, so I’m willing to bet all of my credits that that Wookiee is Black Krrsantan, and that the other Sith is Sabine’s old friend, Darth Snoke.” Edaan simply said, causing Sabine to scowl for what must have been the fifth time in the last hour alone.

 

“Hold on, hold on, Edaan. If what you say is true, then why haven’t they come after us with their entire army, as even the two-hundred-and-eleven of us couldn’t survive over two thousand Sith, along with over fifteen thousand of their lackeys?” Zeb skeptically asked Edaan.

 

“Because of several reasons, Zeb. First off, killing all of us would take quite a significant toll on their resources, weakening them for the upcoming siege of Korriban. Second, Krayt probably has Vestara and Snoke watching us like a Howlrunner stalks its prey before it strikes in order to know how we work. Third, this period of false peace more than likely means that he’s playing the long game like we are, and that he has some diabolical strategy planned for us when we face him, probably in an attempt to corrupt Jaden, Seelah, Adari, the rest of the reformed Sith, and me, as well as gather intelligence on the Shadow Alliance and their forces.” Edaan explained to the middle-aged Lasat supreme commander.

 

“It makes sense, Zeb. So, what are we going to do about this new development, Edaan?” Sabine asked.

 

“For now, we proceed as planned, just with more caution than first anticipated.” Edaan replied before saying to the female Mandalorian, “I guess that it’s a good thing that I asked you to paint me a new set of Mandalorian armor for the mission so I can go undercover, Sabine.”

 

“Yeah. Too bad that your armor is easily distinguishable, Edaan.” Sabine retorted as she inspected her Westar-35 blaster pistols for any possible defects.

 

“Hey, I like what I like. And besides, there are plenty of other wild color schemes going on with Neo Death Watch, so I should fit right in with the rest of those lunatics and murderers.” Edaan countered. After he stopped talking, he turned to Jaden and asked in complete seriousness, “Jaden, can I get a word with you in the cockpit, alone?”

 

“Sure. What for?” Jaden said as he began to follow the younger Jedi to the cockpit, leaving the seven of his shipmates, along with the six other warriors that were in the main hall, baffled as to what Edaan could be up to, as he never kept secrets from anyone among his crew about any matter, no matter how big or small said situation might be.

 

“Not yet, Jaden.” Edaan whispered as he sat down in the pilot’s seat and activated a hidden button underneath the seat, causing thick durasteel doors to slide from the side, as well as ray shields to appear in front of the durasteel doors.

 

This turn of events caused Jaden to adopt a look of surprise and shock as he hesitatingly said, “Uh… Edaan? What’s going on?”

 

“Calm down, Jaden, it’s not what you think. I just needed to talk to you about Darth Krayt, and I didn’t want anyone else, especially Artoo, Chopper, or any of the Mandalorians to find out, because, if I’m right, and this knowledge were to get out, it could demoralize the strike force and the Shadow Alliance.” Edaan explained in order to calm Jaden’s nerves.

 

“What are you talking about, Edaan?” Jaden said, not liking where Edaan was going with this explanation.

 

“Jaden, do you know who A’Sharad Hett is?” Edaan suddenly asked, surprising Jaden, as he was not expecting that random question.

 

“Of course, Edaan. He was the son of Sharad Hett, better known as the Howlrunner, and was a veteran Jedi Master that served valiantly in the Clone War before disappearing after Grand Army of the Republic Contingency Order Sixty-Six. What does that have to do with anything?” Jaden said as he spoke as if he was back in the Jedi Praxeum, and he was a simple student once again.

 

“Because, Jaden, I fear that Darth Krayt and A’Sharad Hett are one and the same person.” Edaan simply said, eliciting a look of horror from the older Jedi Knight.

 

“But… there’s no way that A’Sharad Hett could have survived all of these years. And, how did you even come to this conclusion?” Jaden incredulously said.

 

“Because, last night, while I was asleep, I was paid a visit from three of my deceased masters, Qui-Gon Jinn, Revan, and Meetra Surik, and they told me that they believe that A’Sharad and Krayt are one and the same being. And, don’t forget, Jaden, that a practitioner of the Dark Side of the Force can use it, along with many dark rituals, in order to extend their life span by centuries if need be, as proven by the ancient Sith Empire, as well as the reconstituted Sith Emperor Vitiate, also known by his Zakuul name of Valkorion.”

 

“Okay, but how did A’Sharad fall to the Dark Side in the first place, and eventually become Dark Lord of the Sith?” Jaden asked, his voice full of skepticism as he spoke.   


“Well, according to Qui-Gon Jinn, after Order Sixty-Six, he returned to his home world of Tatooine in order to lead the Tusken Raiders back to the level of prominence that they had enjoyed under Sharad Hett, but was, after two years of leading bloody raids on moisture farmers and settlers, he was driven off-world by Obi-Wan Kenobi. In addition, through what could have only been the Will of the Force, I stumbled upon a record of a bounty hunter that looked very much like A’Sharad Hett, so he must have become a mercenary in order to survive in an Anti-Jedi galaxy. After he became a bounty hunter, for about year or two, he was very successful before he tracked a fugitive by the name of Resk across the galaxy, where he disappeared afterwards, never to me seen again.” Edaan explained to Jaden.

 

“Okay, but how did you stumble upon those records?” Jaden asked, beginning to believe Edaan’s words, but he still erred on the side of caution.

 

“It’s a long story, but suffice it to say that Robonino and Akku’s connections helped me save a few young Force-sensitives from Sith hands, and their connections helped me track every known bounty hunter within the last hundred years. In addition, thanks to a handy data-searching Force technique that I learned while at Shedu Maad in order to go through massive amounts of data, I found A’Sharad Hett’s file while searching for any bounty hunters that could be of use to my cause to save Vestara from herself.” Edaan further elaborated for Jaden.

 

“Well, let’s say that you’re right, Edaan. What are you going to do about it, try to redeem Krayt as well, because there’s no way that the Jedi Council will accept him back into the fold if that’s what you’re planning.” Jaden stressed, hoping that his friend and comrade saw sense before his desire to save as many people as he could then included the Dark Lord of the Sith, which would more than likely result in his death.

 

“Okay. First off, I haven’t decided whether or not Krayt can be redeemed. In order for me to decide that, I would have to know how he thinks, and if there is still a spark of light within him. Second, do you remember Ajunta Pall, the first true Dark Lord of the Sith?” Edaan suddenly asked, surprising the elder Jedi Knight.

 

“Of course, Edaan. I studied much of the ancient lore of the Jedi, and I learned that he was entombed in the Valley of the Dark Lords after his death. What does that have to do with Darth Krayt being the Old Republic Jedi Master A’Sharad Hett, and whether or not you can redeem him?” Jaden confusingly asked.

 

“Well, did you know that during the Jedi Civil War, a mind wiped Revan redeemed the ghost of Ajunta Pall, and convinced him to become one with the Force, where his master was waiting for him when he faded away?” Edaan academically said, earning nod from Jaden, and the former said, “Good. Then you know that no one is beyond redemption, not even the dead.”

 

“All right, Edaan, you make a good point.” Jaden conceded after smiling at this Jedi’s immense knowledge of all matters, before his face turned serious, and he asked, “So, when are you going to tell the others about this information?”

 

“For now, no, because none of them, asides from maybe Akku and Sabine, would know about A’Sharad Hett, as he was born a long time ago, and we don’t know for sure that A’Sharad and Krayt are one and the same, so I don’t want to get everyone worked up for nothing, especially my wife, who’s got enough to worry about with us on Korriban, as well as managing the twenty-five defectors that left the Lost Tribe.” Edaan explained.

 

“ _Well, at least I know that you hold me in high regard, Edaan._ ” said a feminine voice that both Edaan and Jaden knew all too well. After sighing in defeat, Edaan pressed a button, and the ray shields deactivated, the durasteel doors were opened, and the form of a smug and smirking Sabine Wren, and said, “I’m not even going to ask how you listened in on my conversation, but I’m willing to guess that you heard all of that, and that you’re going to tell the others?”

 

“Only if you don’t, Edaan, because if you’re right about Krayt, then, if we’re able to, we need to inform the Shadow Alliance’s High Command about this possible development as soon as we can.” Sabine simply said.

 

“Sabine, if we send a message to Mandalore, even if we use their own equipment and encryption codes, then the One Sith will pick up on it, and they’ll probably kill us before we leave the city. As much as I don’t like it, we have to proceed as planned.”

 

“We have to at least try! If we don’t have some kind of contingency plan in place if we fail in our mission, then there’s a good chance that the Shadow Alliance, along with the rest of the galaxy, will fall to the Sith and their legions. And besides, the Sith already know about us, which means that they’ve got some big scheme cooking, and getting my men killed for nothing was not what I signed up for.” Sabine ardently countered.

 

“Sabine…” Edaan said before he sighed in defeat as he saw the merits in Sabine’s arguments, and he said, “All right. How about this? We tell everyone that we have a lead on who Krayt is, as well as some of his abilities, but leave his name out of it, just in case we’re wrong? And we can even tell Akku and Zeb about Hett, just in case we’re right. Does that seem like a fair deal?”

 

“I don’t like it, Edaan. But… it’s better than nothing, and at least the rest of our allies have some time to prepare if we all run into Krayt in the Valley of the Dark Lords, or in the planet’s catacombs.” Sabine said before adding, “Let’s just hope that you’re wrong, Edaan, or our mission is all but impossible, since I know just how capable A”Sharad Hett was before and during the Clone War, and if he is Darth Krayt, then he has to be at least ten times more deadly, as he helped Luke took out that Celestial wannabe Abeloth in Beyond Shadows.”

 

“Yeah. I have a feeling that we’re gonna need all of the Force, luck, and help that we can get our hands on, because I’ve got a feeling that a lot of us aren’t coming back from this deathtrap of a planet.” Edaan gravely said as the three of them returned to the main hall in order to brief the teams on this latest piece of information.

 

**Well, that ends another filler chapter in my saga, which was completed on November 18, 2016. Don’t worry, we’ll get to the action, torture, and tribulations soon enough, but I need to put a few things in my story in order so that I can move my story along. So, what did you think of my latest chapter, and be honest, as I value your constructive criticism? Now, what do you say that we get onto more worldly matters? I can’t wait for the next Star Wars Rebels and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles episodes that are coming up this weekend, as they hold much promise for their loyal fan base, including myself. By the way, while I was at the local help center, I bought two big novels, Robyn Young’s The Fall of the Templars, as well as Joseph Kanon’s The Good German. I have a good feeling about both books. Oh, and I signed another petition on change.org, about trying to get Obsidian to produce a video game, to be more specific, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic III, which I greatly hope comes to pass because, as I’ve said many times before, I immensely crave more Star Wars Expanded Universe material. Well, I think that about covers everything. Oh, before I end this chapter, tell me what you think of my addendums, as I value your honesty, as long as it is polite, of course, as rudeness will not be tolerated in my reviews and emails. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	9. Chapter 8

**Hello, Star Wars Expanded Universe fans and connoisseurs. How are you doing on this fine Saturday, which just so happens to be November 19, 2016? I am doing pretty good, as I just discovered when the next _The Witcher_ graphic novel is coming out, which is in the middle of May. It can be preordered now online at BarnesAndNoble.com, as well as Amazon.com, and I just got it on the former site for a measly $12.99 instead of $17.99, tax included. So, can you guys believe that I have written over thirty thousand words in this story alone so far, because I feel that I am just hitting my stride with this story, and I am nowhere near done with this work, which is good, because I don’t want this glorious saga to end anytime soon, and I imagine that none of you do either. By the way, tomorrow, on November 20, 2016, my sister turns 13 years old, so if you could wish her a happy birthday, that would be appreciated. Anyway, I am ready for the next episode of _Star Wars Rebels_ to premiere on Disney XD, which is "The Wynkahthu Job" , and I have a feeling that it promises to be a hilarious episode, as well as _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_ tomorrow. How about you guys? Anyway, have any of you guys found any great fanfictions out there on fanfiction.net, because if you do, tell me about them, and I will check them out, as I love to read good fanfiction stories? So, with all of the small talk out of the way, let’s get started with my next chapter on fifth story,  Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War III: Tribulation. One more thing, I will do my best to avoid adding too many addendums, as I know that you guys prefer actual storytelling instead of me rambling on worldly matters. Well, let’s begin. I know that I’ve said this before, but May the Force be with Edaan Palpatine and the rest of his allies, as they will soon need it in order to survive what will soon come next. **

**(November 20, 2016 Addendum) Well, I saw the latest episode of _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_ today, and boy, was it dark. I’m just glad that all of the danger and drama of April’s Aeon Crystal is done, because I can’t wait for the last four episodes of Season Four of _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_ , which will hopefully premiere back-to-back in the next two weeks, as I am eager for Season Five, as it involves Tiger Claw summoning a demon, which will be very dark and serious, which I really enjoy in animated shows. By the way, I have just completed Priority: Horizon on _Mass Effect 3_ , and I am ready to complete the rest of the game within a couple of days. I have to say that I can’t wait until _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ is released in the first quarter of next year, as I need more good video games to play, since I’m almost out of games to play for my Xbox One, and I haven’t gotten the two DLCs for _The Witcher III: Wild Hunt_ , _Hearts of Stone_ and _Blood and Wine_. Oh, and I am almost halfway done with my book on Dwight D. Eisenhower, and it is very informative about the great general and president. If any of you are interested in reading the book, it is called  Ike: An American Hero, and it is written by Micael Korda. You can find the hardcover edition of this book on Amazon.com for a cheap price.**

**(November 21, 2016 Addendum) Hey, everybody. I’m sorry for adding yet another addendum, but I wanted to share with you guys something before I forgot about it. Today, I went with my mother to a Barnes And Noble, and I bought a good book there for only nine dollars and sixty-three cents. That book is called Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army, and it was written by Jeremy Scahill. I have a good feeling that I will enjoy this book very much. So, in story-related news, I wanted to give you guys a hint as to who Darth Sedriss is. Here’s the hint: Darth Sedriss is a former Jedi Youngling of the Old Jedi Order. I hope that that helps. In addition, I have so far read 412 pages of Ike: An American Hero. Anyway, I’ll get back with this chapter. Oh, one more thing, I just discovered that _Star Wars: Vol. 5_ , and _Star Wars: Doctor Aphra: Volume_ _1_ have been made available online for very affordable prices. I would recommend that anyone that wants those two series buy them as soon as you can, for there’s no telling when the price could increase, and I plan to buy pre-order the two graphic novels as soon as the year 2017 rolls around. Well, let’s get back with the story.**

_One Hour Later, onboard the_ Aliit _’s Cockpit_

 

“Wait, wait, wait, you guys. So, let me see if I’ve got this figured out: According to three of Edaan’s dead Jedi masters, which I still have a hard time believing, by the way, Darth Krayt may actually be the legendary Clone War hero and Jedi Master A’Sharad Hett, and you decided to withhold this information from the Shadow Alliance, along with rest of the strike force, which includes the rest of your teammates, as well as your own wife. Have you lost my mind, or is this some part of a convoluted plan for victory, though I don’t know which is worse?!?” Zeb incredulously said as Edaan and Jaden finished telling him and Akku Sei II the full story on just who Darth Krayt may be, while the rest of their allies were simply told that Darth Krayt was a powerful Force-sensitive that fell to the Dark Side during the Clone War, and that he was skilled in the use of the lightsaber form of Jar’Kai, the method of using two lightsabers in combat.

 

“Easy, Zeb.” Sabine said as she placed a hand on her old friend’s shoulder in order to calm him down, before she continued, saying, “As much as I hate to admit it, and I _really_ hate to admit this to anyone, Edaan has a few good points about this matter. We can’t afford the risk of sending out any kinds of transmission to the Shadow Alliance, because if any transmissions are sent out, the Sith and their forces would more than likely intercept it and trace it back to us, even if we use their own technology and transponder codes. Also, on the off chance that we’re wrong about Krayt being the former Jedi A’Sharad Hett, we don’t want our forces panicking and preparing for the wrong kind of enemy, especially the former Lost Tribe of the Sith members of our strike force. And besides, the information on Krayt will be of little help to the rest of our allies, as they wouldn’t have a clue as to just who A’Sharad Hett was.”

 

“Akku, what do you think of this? And, be brutally honest.” Edaan hesitatingly said to his longtime friend and second-in-command as the Anzati Mandalorian looked down on the floor in deep thought on hearing these revelations.

 

After deeply sighing, Akku said, “This is a difficult dilemma that we are in, but I honestly don’t think that either side is wrong in this matter.” These words caused the four other warriors to look at him with a confused look on each of their faces before he continued, saying, “On one hand, the rest of the strike force, as well as the rest of the Shadow Alliance, should be made aware of this development, because this intelligence could give us an edge against the One Sith when the rest of the Alliance proceeds with the invasion of Korriban.”

 

“But, on the other hand, few people outside of the Jedi are aware of who A’Sharad Hett was, and, if we are wrong about who Krayt is, then this misinformation could cost us a lot of lives when we wage war. So, I would have to say that we should proceed as we originally planned for now, but with a much greater degree of caution and swiftness, as we now know that Vestara Khai, Ezra Bridger, and their minion, Black Krrsantan, are watching us.” Akku continued as he glanced at Edaan, earning a grateful nod from the young Jedi Knight, who was appreciative of his longtime friend’s support, no matter how restrained and limited it might be.

 

“So, Edaan, do you have any other secrets that you want to share with us, or is that it?” The Anzati asked as he had an observing look on his face as he spoke.

 

“Nope. I’m pretty sure that that’s it.” Edaan honestly replied.

 

“Good. Well, if there’s nothing else, we should prepare the next phase of our plan, as we still need to figure out where the One Sith is located within the planet’s catacombs.” Akku said, satisfied by his longtime friend’s truthful reply.

 

“Agreed.” Sabine said, grateful that this matter was resolved, as she opened the doors to the CEC VCX-100 light freighter’s cockpit, and the two Jedi, two Mandalorians, and one Lasat supreme commander left the cockpit in order to plan their next move.

 

_Meanwhile, In the Valley of the Dark Lords_

 

“Can you feel it, Sedriss?” An elderly tan human male Sith Lord, who had an intricate set of Sith tattoos etched all over his body, as well as many wrinkles over his body to indicate the man’s old age, by the name of Darth Malleus said to the younger Sith, Darth Sedriss, as he reached out with the Force and sensed an incredibly powerful presence in the Force that was located at the ancient city of Dreshdae, where the One Sith’s corporate, mercenary, and slaver allies currently resided.

 

“You mean the putrid stench of those two Jedi, Edaan Palpatine and Jaden Korr, the Mandalorian and Lasat allies that Edaan, Jaden, and Sabine Wren managed to recruit, and the rest of Edaan’s crew that Lord Krayt warned us about? Of course I can. What other group of idiotic fools would be producing such a massive amount of that wretched Light Side of the Force?” The Sith woman, who also was covered in many tattoos and wrinkles, vehemently replied as her lips frowned at sensing the polar opposite of what she represented in the Force.

 

“Then you agree that something must be done about this matter, do you not?” Malleus said as he turned to face the younger Sith Lady as she simply nodded and smiled, revealing a set of very yellowish and rotten teeth.

 

“Although nothing would make me happier than to butcher those two Jedi and their allies, Lord Krayt’s orders were perfectly clear: We are to wait until they enter the planet’s catacombs, and we are to capture Edaan, his crew, Jaden Korr, Sabine Wren, Garazeb Orrelios, and as many of the unknown Force-sensitives that Lord Krayt sensed before he emerged from his stasis chamber.” Said a powerful and commanding voice that caused Sedriss and Malleus to turn around, revealing a middle-aged woman, who had Sith tattoos all over her face, that the two Sith Lords knew all too well.

 

“ _Dician._ ” Sedriss venomously spat out as she saw the younger woman arrogantly walked towards the two older Sith Lords. “To what do we owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?” she continued.

 

“Oh, nothing, really. Just making sure that you two _brutes_ don’t mess up the master’s plans with your inelegance and thuggery.” Dician said, her voice full of arrogance that came from almost twenty years of commanding people on covert missions for the One Sith.

 

“Well, if being a 'brute’ gets results, then the two of us would rather take raw strength over brains any day.” Malleus said as his left hand started to drift to the lightsaber of the long dead Sith acolyte Warb Null, while Sedriss’s right hand began to generate Sith Lightning, and Dician pulled out a lightsaber and took on a combat stance.

 

Just when it seemed like all hell was about to break loose between the three Sith Lords, a series of heavy blaster fire appeared in within the gap of said Sith Lords. All three people turned their adrenaline-raged bodies to see a black-colored astromech, a protocol droid with a similar color scheme, and a very aged woman that was covered from head to toe in a durasteel armor with a jetpack on her back, standing on top of a large boulder that was ten feet from the three soon-to-be adversaries.

 

“Well, isn’t this amusing and original, Beetee? Organics fighting among themselves, even when they are supposed to be on the same team.” The protocol droid wittily said to the astromech droid, who beeped and shook from side to side in digital laughter, while the woman simply rolled her eyes at the lack of maturity that her droids were displaying, as well as having a slight smile on her face as she silently agreed with the protocol droid’s morbid sense of humor.

 

“What do you want, Triple Zero?” Sedriss annoyingly said as she slightly calmed down, but was still on edge, as she knew that this protocol droid, 0-0-0, along with the astromech droid, BT-1, were very lethal droids that were designed as a part of the First Galactic Empire’s failed Tarkin Initiative, and, one year after the Battle of Yavin, after a series of missions with Darth Vader, fell into the care of the woman that stood in front of the two droids, the rogue archeologist that simply went by the name of Aphra, as well as the commander of the One Sith’s forces, the notorious Wookiee Black Krrsantan, where they journeyed across the galaxy for many years, paying off debts, collecting rare artifacts and weapons for their own personal use, and finding the people that tortured Krrsantan and turned him into the ruthless man that he was today, and leaving them to the Wookiee’s nonexistent mercy.

 

“Lord Wyyrlok sent us to inform you that Lord Krayt wants the three of you organics to return within the security of the catacombs, as all of us must prepare for the arrival of our guests, and we must make sure that everything is in order for their inevitable coming.” 0-0-0 replied in his trademark-amused tone.

 

“Very well, 0-0-0. If Lord Krayt wishes something of us, then I will happily oblige.” Dician dutifully said, putting aside her distaste for the two older Sith Lords in front of her as she moved to return to the Tomb of Marka Ragnos, where one entrance to the planet’s catacombs resided.

 

“Splendid!” 0-0-0 joyously replied as he turned to face the two remaining Sith Lords, and jubilantly said, “Come along, my comrades. We don’t want to keep the master waiting.”

 

 _The mere thought of having to take orders from a mere assassin droid and its master. The absurdity of it all! If I have my way soon, there will be a reckoning with those three fools!_ Both Mallues and Sedriss simultaneously thought as they followed Dician, Aphra, and her two droids to the secret entrance into the planet’s depths.

 

_Meanwhile, Deep Within the Planet’s Catacombs_

 

The captive Jedi did not know what time it was when he had awoken. He had stopped keeping track of time after five years of being a prisoner of the One Sith. He had nearly given up hope and plummeted into the endless maw of despair that had all but consumed him after the loss of his wife, Shara, by Sith hands, at the end of the Yuuzhan Vong War. But, despite it all, he persevered, remembering what the legendary Jedi Master Ngani Zho had endured while in the Vesla System during the Cold War. It was when he was at his lowest point, that he had sensed it: A shining beacon of light in the Force, coming to Korriban. And accompanying that light was a presence that he had known all too well: Jedi Knight Jaden Korr, hero of the Disciples of Ragnos Crisis, and former student of Jedi Master Kyle Katarn.

 

It was then that he had realized that the Jedi Order must have discovered the existence of the One Sith, and were sending a scouting party to determine just how large this new incarnation of their five-thousand-year-old enemy was. He prayed to the Force that Jaden and the unknown Jedi that they would survive whatever horrors the Sith had planned for them, because the fate of the galaxy hanged in the balance, since the longer the One Sith remained hidden in the shadows, the stronger they became. His only regret was the Sith torture mask that had ben placed on his head, which prevented him from fully summoning the power of the Force, and he could not send out a warning in the Force to Master Luke Skywalker.

 

_Day 80 Since the Shadow Alliance’s Formation_

_Forty-Nine days Until Operation: Endgame_

_1100 Hours_

_Onboard the_ Second Chance

 

“Alright. We need the data from Dreshdae’s tactical scanners and data libraries, so let’s go over the plan one more time before we initiate Phase One.” Edaan said to everyone that was gathered, ranging from Adari, the rest of the _Second Chance_ ’s crew, the crew of the _Aliit_ , as well as the captains of the nineteen other ships that made up the impromptu strike force.

 

“ _All right._ ” Sabine said from her personal ship before she took a deep breath for the lengthy explanation that she was about to give to the strike team. “ _While Robonino, Chopper, Edaan Seelah, Vua, me, twenty Mandalorians, and fifteen Lasats, not including Zeb here, sabotage as much of the city’s defenses that we can, as well as cause as much chaos as we can, Dinua and Akku can lead Atai, Artoo, Jarael, Saarai, Adari, and five additional Mandalorians in infiltrating the city’s database, and acquire the necessary maps, schematics, and other useful data that will prove crucial to our infiltration of the planet’s catacombs, as well as Operation: Endgame. Meanwhile, the remaining Mandalorians and Lasats will guard our ships, while Jaden and our ex-Sith allies make sure that Darths Kitai and Snoke, as well as Black Krrsantan, do not interfere with the mission. Once we have the data, we will send five copies of it to five ships, which will then leave the planet and head to the Mandalore System in order to deliver the intelligence to the Shadow Alliance’s High Command. Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, we_ cannot _retreat at any costs, as the success of the invasion is could depend on the success of this mission. Any questions?_ ” she said, finishing her briefing with a question.

 

“Just one, Commander. What happens if, for any reason, we can’t get the information from the database?” Dinua asked as several Mandalorian and Lasat captains murmured similar thoughts amongst themselves.

 

“ _Hopefully, it won’t come to that, Dinua. But, if we can’t get the intel from the database, then we’ll fight our way to Black Krrsantan’s personal Appanzanna Engineering Works Auzituck anti-slaver gunship, the_ Chuundar’s Legacy _, where the information is bound to be found, and is likely to be lightly guarded during our diversionary team’s assault._ ” Sabine replied, causing more than a few people among the group to grimace at the obvious desperation of their superior’s gamble, and they began to silently wonder if their mission here was such a good idea.

 

“All right. You all know your missions, so get ready, as the operation begins at precisely twelve hundred hours. May the Force be with us.” Sabine solemnly said before she raised her fist into the air and shouted “ _Oya_!”

 

In response to Sabine’s battle cry, the other eight Mandalorian captains, Akku Sei II, as well as Mirta, Dinua, and the four other Mandalorians within the Aliit shouted “ _Oya!_ ” as well, while the four Lasat captains, as well as Zeb, roared in approval of the Mandalorians’ attitude towards the coming battle, while Edaan and Adari shared an amused smile at the childishness of their comrades, and Seelah and the rest of the deserters of the Lost Tribe of the Sith rolled their eyes at the display before them.

 

 _Meanwhile, In the_ Chuundar’s Legacy

 

“My Lord, I sense a powerful shift in the Force.” Darth Kitai dutifully said to the holoimage of her master, Darth Krayt, Dark Lord of the Sith.

 

“ _I sense it as well, Lady Kitai. Be vigilant, as I believe that Edaan Palpatine and his companions will soon put their plans into motion. Allow them to fulfill whatever schemes that they may have, as they will lead them tight to us, where we will break the young Jedi and all of his allies into serving us as we tame this chaotic galaxy._ ” Darth Krayt ordered to his subordinate, who dutifully nodded at before he cut the connection to the _Chuundar’s Legacy_ ’s Holonet transceiver.

 

Once Darth Kitai got up from her kneeling position she was approached by Darth Snoke and Blcak Krrsantan, who appeared to be full of bloodthirsty glee as they grinned maliciously at the inevitability of the coming skirmish with Edaan Palpatine and his friends.

 

“So, after so many years of lingering in the shadows, we will finally get to see some action and begin to exact our revenge on the Jedi for their indecisiveness.” Snoke vehemently said as Black Krrsantan growled his approval, before the former said, “It’s just a shame that I can’t get my hands on Chopper, Sabine, and Garazeb, as I have a score to settle with them.”

 

“Who says that you can’t after we capture them, and interrogate them, Snoke?” Kitai said as she malevolently smiled, hoping that she could get her hands on Edaan Palpatine and make him pay for his role in destroying the spirit of the people of Kesh.

 

**And, that’s a wrap for Chapter 8 of my fifth story. So, tell me what you think of this chapter, and be honest, as I need some constructive criticism. Anyway, I wanted to tell you guys that yesterday, on November 22, 2016, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Avatar: The Last Airbender crossover that I mentioned a few chapters ago had updated with another chapter, and it is amazing. I won’t spoil anything for anyone who hasn’t read it yet, but suffice it to say that it is a great chapter. Anyway, did you guys buy the latest Star Wars comics, _Star Wars #25_ and _Star Wars: Han Solo #5_? I have to say that they were good, but I thought that the extra story in _Star Wars #25_ was unnecessary, but I understand the need to honor Kenny Baker after his tragic passing. Anyway, it will soon be the holidays, and I can’t wait for them, as I have a feeling that I will soon get a lot of books, as well as a few Blu-Ray Discs and DVDs coming my way, and every one of them will a great gift. So, I am almost over five hundred pages done with the book on Dwight D. Eisenhower, and I am greatly enjoying the book. Plus, I volunteered at a local library today, and I had a good time there. By the way, can you guys believe that it’s almost December? For me and a lot of college students (both community and full college), that means that school will soon be over for over a month. Now that makes me excited, as I will hopefully be able to update more regularly for over a month until the middle of January. I hope that that is the case, because I enjoy writing for you guys very much. One more thing, as of now, I have written over thirty-five thousand words for my latest story in a little over a month. Now, that’s impressive. Well, I guess that that’s it. Have a good night, May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	10. Chapter 9

**Happy Thanksgiving to all of you American and Canadian Star Wars fans. And, to all of you international fans, I hope that you are having a good day, because it will only get better after reading the latest chapter in my six-book saga. So, I hope that all of you guys enjoy your day, because I sure did, other than my mother insisting that I relax both of my shoulders while she takes pictures of me and my younger brother and sister, as well as unclench my fists because I was so frustrated by all of the commands that she was giving me. Anyway, I have read about one hundred pages in the book on Dwight D. Eisenhower today, making it up to the end of World War II, and I am enjoying every single page of it. Unfortunately, I’m not sure what book I should read next, as I have four other books that I can choose from before my holiday stash comes. I will probably read the book on Stonewall Jackson next, as I believe that it is around nine hundred pages long, which should, at the rate that I normally read, keep me busy for at least two weeks. So, what are you doing tomorrow for Black Friday, as I have to pick up leaves with my father tomorrow after he gets home early from work? Well, at least I’ll get to make some honest money. By the way, I have only twelve days left in my Fall 2016 semester at my community college, and I have only a couple of big projects left for one of my two classes, so I am relieved that that semester is almost over. Well, are you guys going to see Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, because I, unfortunately, have no choice, as my brother wants to see it once he comes back home from his college, and my parents will leave me little choice in seeing that blight against the Expanded Universe? Oh, what are you guys watching right now, because I am watching a YouTube video that depicts the digitally remastered Funimation dub of Dragon Ball Z, or, to be more specific, the epic battle between Goku and Frieza, and I am enjoying it very much? If you want my honest opinion, it was one of the greatest anime fights of all time, and is virtually unrivaled in how perfect it was, especially in how epic Goku’s first transformation into a Super Saiyan was. One more thing, once I finish all of the books that I have, as well as the ones that I will soon have, I will reread all of my books on Dragon Age (And I really hope that TOR, BioWare, and EA Games come up with more novels for the gaming series, as I enjoyed every one of them) because they were so epic, and the books on _The Witcher_ , as by the time that I finish all of the books, the last book in the latter’s saga should arrive at my house, and I can read it. Well, with all of the small talk out of the way, let’s get on with the story, as I am eager to tell you how the first battle in this story goes on. But, I must warn you, I don’t know how I will get from where we are now to where I want the main characters to be, so I will likely be making the story up as I go along. But, that’s okay, as I’m sure that many great authors wing it sometimes with their stories. Oh well. On with the story. **

**(November 25, 2016 Addendum) Hey, Star Wars fans. How are you doing on Black Friday? I am fine, and I will soon pick up leaves with my dad once he gets home in about seventy minutes. Anyway, I have big news for you Star Wars Expanded Universe lovers. According to Matt Wilkins, a person who posts reviews and motivational videos on YouTube about the Expanded Universe, there may be some more Expanded Universe short stories coming out next year, and hopefully, Lucasfilm will hear our cries and give us more Expanded Universe material besides what is being produced right now. I don’t know about you, but once again, my appetite for more EU material has been whetted, as I am CRAZY for more of the original Star Wars Expanded Universe saga, and it is very, very powerful!!! One more thing, IGN has posted on YouTube the dark side version of the first chapter of Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Eternal Throne, and it has me beyond hyped for the latest expansion for the MMORPG. One more thing, I have read over eighty pages in the book on Eisenhower today, which means that I only have one day, or two, at the very most, left in this biography before I move on to the biography on Stonewall Jackson. I am sure that it will be riveting, as it is, as I’ve said before, over nine hundred pages long. Well, let’s get back to the story.**

**(November 26, 2016 Addendum) Hello, everyone. Sorry to give you another addendum, but I wanted to tell you guys that I saw the movie _Allied_ today with my father, and it was very good. If I were a movie critic, I’d have to give it four out of five stars. I won’t give away any spoilers, but I will say that the movie’s ending was very sad. By the way, I can’t wait for the next episode of _Star Wars Rebels_ , “The Wynkahthu Job”, as it promises to be a very humor-filled and lighthearted episode. Anyway, on with the story. (New Addendum: I watched “The Wynkahthu Job”, and it was an adequate episode. I’d have to give it a Seven out of Ten rating. Oh, and I finished the book on Dwight D. Eisenhower, and I will get to reading the book on Stonewall Jackson tomorrow.)**

_1130 Hours_

 

Dinua Jeban could feel her heart beating beneath her _beskar'gam_ , as well as feel the adrenaline pumping throughout her entire body, which caused her hands to twitch uncontrollably as she mentally prepared herself for her first battle since the Defense of Mandalore. Only this time, instead of going after renegade Mandalorian, corrupt senators, slaver and corporate forces, and a deranged dictator and megalomaniac, she would be going up against the forces of the One Sith within the city of Dreshdae while gathering vital intelligence for the Shadow Alliance and their upcoming invasion. This was a battle worthy of an elite Mandalorian of her caliber, and she intended to prove her worth for the Shadow Alliance. Realizing that the stakes were very high for the upcoming mission, she gave a two-fingered salute to Akku Sei II, who then patted his side with his left hand, motioning for Atai Molec, R2-D2, Jarael Chantique, Saarai Caine, Adari Thayn Palpatine, and the five other Mandalorians that were a part of the team that would infiltrate the city’s database and find the necessary maps, schematics, and any other useful bits of data that will aid the penetration of the planet’s catacombs for both the infiltration team and the Shadow Alliance’s armies, once the latter arrived in forty-nine days, which is when Operation: Endgame commenced. As the twelve infiltrators began to head to the lower levels of Dreshdae, they were met with light resistance by several surviving members of the Neo Death Watch organization, which were quickly hacked apart by Saarai and her violet-colored lightsaber.

 

“Well, I see that you haven’t kicked all of your dark-side tendencies out of your system.” Adari lightly said as she observed Saarai’s handiwork, causing the human ex-Sith to roll her eyes in exasperation as the Mandalorians among the team chuckled at the remark.

 

“All right. Don’t we have a mission to continue?” Saarai exasperatingly said to no one in particular as she headed to a turbolift in order to go to the main database. She looked at the rest of her comrades and asked, “Well, aren’t you guys coming with me, as I have no clue on how to acquire the data that we need?”

 

The eleven other teammates headed into the turbolift, and, as the door closed, Adari asked her friend, “By the way, Saarai, how and when did you change your lightsaber’s crystal from the color red, to violet?”

 

“There are caves on the planet Dantooine that are loaded with crystals of all sorts of colors, as well as crystals with many different properties and advantages. Apparently, the crystal that I have was the same kind of crystal that the Old Republic Jedi Master Mace Windu used during his life, before he was killed by Darth Sidious.” Saarai explained before asking, “How did you not know about the crystal caves on Dantooine, what, with your access to one of the largest databases in the galaxy?”

 

“Well, I was never going to construct a lightsaber, so the location of the crystals needed to create one didn’t really matter much to me. I was much more interested in the various forms of combat that existed in the greater galaxy, especially the art of Teräs Käsi, better known in Basic as “Steel Hands”, as well as knowing the basics of galactic politics in order to help our people enter the galaxy as full-fledged citizens of the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances.” Adari honestly replied.

 

“Well, to each their own. Hey, maybe you’ll be the first galactic senator of our people, knowing as much as you do.” Saarai humorously suggested, causing Adari to blanch in fear of being involved in so many political meetings, and merely talking about important matters instead of getting right to the problem head-on.

 

“Don’t even go there, Saarai.” Adari adamantly said as Dinua and Akku coughed in order to get the two woman’s attention.

 

“Uh… I hate to interrupt, but we’re approaching our destination, and there are bound to be a massive amount of guards and security forces defending the databanks within, so, can you get a reading on how large the opposition is?” Dinua quickly said as the turbolift rapidly approached its destination.

 

“Right. Sorry, Dinua.” Saarai apologetically said as she closed her eyes, and reached out with the Force to sense the enemy forces that guarded the way to the database. After a full thirty seconds of silence, the former Sith woman opened her eyes, turned to the Mandalorian woman, and then said, “There are around twenty to thirty people guarding the database, as well as ten fearful presences within the archives, so I assume that the latter are the technicians and archivists that manage the archives.”

 

“A light guard. Good. The diversion teams must be doing very well at their jobs if there is that light a guard.” Jarael said, her voice full of relief as she spoke.

 

“Do not underestimate the remaining security forces, Jarael, as, for all that we know, they could very well be Mandalorian Supercommandos, so we should remain on high alert.” Akku gently chided his shipmate and comrade as the turbolift stopped moving, and the door to a circular room with eight turbolifts in the room with a passageway to a door that Akku noticed to be made out of cortosis, a mineral that was impervious to all lightsaber attacks, and could short out lightsabers upon contact.

 

“Saarai, don’t bother trying to cut through the door, it’s made out of cortosis, and will disable your lightsaber for a few minutes, which could prove to be the difference between life and death in this battle.” Akku warned Saarai, who only nodded at the order, before he continued speaking, saying to the team’s astromech droid, “Artoo, I see an uplink to the right of the door, so you’d better get cracking, as the other teams and the Shadow Alliance are counting on us in order to get the information that we need.” Artoo dutifully chirped in response, and started rolling towards the uplink.

 

“All right. The rest of us will hold this position until Artoo gets through the doors, and Saarai will alert us if there are any enemy forces heading our way. Any questions?” Akku finished, earning shakes from the heads of the ten other living teammates. “No. Good. Now, let’s make our families proud. _Oya_!” Akku said as he raised his fist in the air, causing the six other Mandalorians, as well as Atai, Jarael, and Adari, to raise their fist in the air, while Saarai just looked around like she was missing something.

 

 _Meanwhile, Inside_ The Drunk Side II _Cantina_

 

“You think that the rest of the mission is proceeding as planned, boss?” Robonino shouted at Edaan as he fired back at a Zygerrian that was rapidly closing the gap between the makeshift cover that he, Edaan, Zeb, and Sabine had made by throwing an old table sideways on the ground, causing the Zygerrian’s corpse to collapse on to the ground after the woman’s head was blown off.

 

“I’m sure that the others are doing fine, Robo!” Edaan barked back as he used his personal blaster pistol to fire back at a Mandalorian Pyro, as well as his lightsaber to deflect blaster bolts from two members of the security force that Czerka Corporation had sent to reinforce the One Sith.

 

“Well, unless we get some reinforcements fast, none of us will be doing fine, Edaan!” Zeb hollered as he blasted at a member of the Corporate Sector Authority Security Police, or “Espo”, for short, which was trying to get behind the four warriors.

 

“Don’t worry, guys, I’ve got it covered.” Sabine replied as activated a button on her gauntlet, triggering a distress signal to the rest of the diversionary team.

 

She then smiled viciously behind her helmet as she pulled out a detonator, which caused Zeb’s eyes to widen as he groaned, “Oh, no.” and turned to Edaan and Robonino in order to say, “HEY!! GET READY!!”

 

Robonino, quickly catching on as to what Zeb was getting at, pulled his longtime friend down beneath the table, and said to Edaan, “STAY DOWN!!”

 

Once Sabine saw that everyone had taken cover, she pushed the button on the detonator, and the thirty explosives that she and Chopper had covertly placed all around the _The Drunk Side II_ yesterday in preparation for this scenario went off, catching fifteen Mandalorians, ten Zygerrians, and twelve corporate forces within range of the explosion.

 

However, Edaan, realizing that the table would not be able to withstand the brunt of the explosion, jumped in front of the table, and used the Force to create a protective barrier around him and his three friends, which, due to Edaan’s discipline, as well as his massive connection to the Force, miraculously held, and, two minutes later, after the smoke had died down, Robonino peeked out from the singed table to see his comrade on his knees from exhaustion after holding back such a massive series of explosions. After briefly scanning the area to make sure that no enemy forces survived, or were, at the very least, still conscious, he went to look after Edaan, who was panting by the time that the Patrolian had arrived to give his friend a painkiller and adrenaline booster for the shaking that plagued his arms.

 

“Ergh! Th-thanks, buddy.” Edaan said after grunting in pain from the adrenaline booster as Sabine and Zeb came from their cover, the latter having a look on his face that bordered on amazement and rage, while Edaan could sense the vexation in the Mandalorian as her fist shook from what she perceived as Edaan’s recklessness.

 

“Gotta say, Edaan. I don’t know whether to give you a hug or strangle you, because you might have saved our lives with that stunt.” Zeb said as his eyes scanned the area for any stragglers.

 

“How about both?” Sabine viciously said as she took off her helmet to reveal a very pissed-off face, greatly frightening Edaan, as he needed a little time, a minute at most, to regain his stamina, as well as stop the shaking in his arms.

 

“Sabine, I’m sorry, but I knew that the table wouldn’t survive all of that force from your explosions, so I had to act fast in order to save us all.” Edaan said, hoping that that explanation would at least placate the Mandalorian so that he wouldn’t be pummeled into a pulp.

 

“THAT’S NO EXCUSE, EDAAN!” Sabine shouted as she stopped within two feet of the young Jedi, with Robonino and Zeb watching from the sidelines, ready to intervene if matters came to a head, as Sabine continued ranting, saying, “You put your life at risk when we need you to help lead this mission, as you formed the Shadow Alliance, and only you can keep this strike force together! Not to mention that you are the one shot that we have at getting to Vestara, Krayt, and Snoke, and you can’t do everything on your own, Ezra!”

 

She then stopped to pant after yelling so much, and Edaan did something that no one expected: He pulled her in, and gave her a hug that was as strong as he could muster, causing both Zeb and Robonino’s jaws to fall agape, and Sabine’s eyes shot wide open at the gesture.

 

“Sabine, I am so, so sorry.” Edaan whispered to the Mandalorian before continuing, saying, “I’ve been so selfish. Here I am worried about saving Vestara from her own demons, that I’ve forgotten how much you’ve suffered because of the betrayal that you endured by Ezra when he murdered Kanan, Hera, and Rex, and you and Zeb confronted him on this planet.” These words caused Sabine to tear up upon being reminded of all of the times that she and Ezra had fought for the early Rebellion, both the good and the bad. After the tears began to fall, Edaan then released Sabine from his hug, and said to her and Zeb, “I know that you both miss him dearly, as the two of you loved him like a brother. Hopefully, we’ll get to save him too, along with as many Sith as we can, because, as Luke Skywalker once said, ‘Even the foulest victim of the Dark Side can be redeemed.’”

 

“”You still hold out hope, even after you know what Ezra did?” Zeb disbelievingly said as Sabine just stood there, the tears flowing freely from her eyes.

 

“It’s a slim hope, Zeb, but a hope nonetheless.” Edaan replied before continuing, saying, “Now, don’t we have more mayhem to cause across the city, and I’m sure that Jaden, Mirta, and the others could use our help against Ezra, Vestara, Black Krrsantan, and the rest of their forces?”

 

Raising one hand to dry the tears that were pouring out of her eyes, Sabine sadly smiled as she said, “Agreed, Edaan. Zeb and I have to face Ezra, bring our old ghosts to rest, and honor Kanan and Hera.” Zeb grimly nodded upon hearing those words, and the four warriors began to make their way to the spaceport, where, according to the last transmission from Jaden and Mirta, Darths Snoke and Kitai, as well as Black Krrsantan, were being preoccupied by the Jedi and Mandalorian’s forces.

 

 _Twenty Minutes Later, Outside the_ Chuundar’s Legacy

 

The battle outside the hangar that held Black Krrsantan’s Appanzanna Engineering Works Auziuck anti-slaver gunship, the _Chuundar’s Legacy_ was practically a chaotic brawl, as both sides adhered to no strategy, and the free-for-all was taking a toll on both teams.

 

Jaden Korr was a perfect conduit for both the Light and Dark Sides of the Force, as he used one hand to perform a healing technique in order to stop the bleeding for a heavily injured Kallus Orrelios, while blasting a heavy barrage of Force Lightning at Darth Kitai, who nimbly dodged the blast and launched her own bombardment of Force Lightning at the Jedi, who used his lightsaber to absorb the attack.

 

Meanwhile, Mirta Gev was using every trick in her bag to stay alive, as she was doing everything that she could to avoid the lightsaber strikes of Darth Snoke, who was very agile and quick for a nearly seventy-six-year-old Sith Lord.

 

As for the former gladiator, bounty hunter, and supreme commander of the Neo Death Watch’s armies, Black Krrsantan, he was busy dealing with Vua Rapuung, who, despite the vast age differences, was about Krrsantan’s equal in gladiatorial combat. No matter how many punches and claw marks Krrsantan left on the Yuuzhan Vong, he refused to go down without a good fight, and left his fair share of bruises and scars on the Wookiee as well. By the time that Edaan, Sabine, Zeb, and Robonino arrived at the battlefields, Vua had even managed to rip out Krrsantan’s left eye, causing the Wookiee to howl out in pain before he knocked Vua up into the air.

 

“VUA!!!” Edaan screamed as he saw his oldest surviving friend get hurled across the hangar, and quickly used the Force to stop the rapid descent of Vua. Although this quick thinking saved his comrade, it caught the attention of the two Sith, the one-eyed Wookiee, the sole surviving turncoat GenoHaradan assassin and Jedi Hunter of the Siege of Mandalore, and the fifteen surviving security forces that guarded Krrsantan’s gunship.

 

“ _You._ ” Kitai rancorously hissed at Edaan as she immediately recognized the young Jedi, causing him to go pale in fear of the inevitable pain that she was about to try and inflict on him.

 

“Oh, boy.” Edaan whimpered as Sabine and Zeb locked gazes at Snoke, who quickly recognized the two former revolutionaries, and smiled malevolently as he began to imagine the various ways that he would torture the two of them when he captured them.

 

“Hello, my old friends.” Snoke venomously said as he prepared himself for the inevitable battle between the three former friends, while Zeb activated his bo-rifle’s electrostaff mode, and Sabine pulled out her secret weapon, the Darksaber, a black-colored lightsaber that the Mandalorians stole form the Coruscant Jedi Temple during the New Sith Wars, was used by the Orginal Death Watch movement by their leader, the Secret Mandalore, and, after a long period of succession, it ended in Sabine Wren’s hands two years before the Battle of Yavin, and it has remained in her hands ever since, and activated it. Snoke then said, “I see that you still carry that old trinket. But, whether or not you’ve improved at all ever since you, Zeb, and Chopper stranded me on this hellhole of a planet for almost sixty years, remains to be seen.”

 

“I’m sure that we’ve all picked up a few tricks since the last time we’ve met, Snoke.” Zeb angrily said as he and Sabine readied themselves for the upcoming battle.

 

Mirta, grateful for the respite in their very intense battle, took the time to get Kallus out of the way, while the remaining twelve Mandalorians and eight Lasats got out of the way for the two Force-sensitives, the two retired members of the Rebel Alliance, and their bounty hunter, to prepare to engage the two high-ranking members of the One Sith, as well as the gravely injured commander of their regular armies and the last renegade GenoHaradan assassin.

 

_Five Minutes Later_

 

Once Mirta, as well as the surviving Lasats and Mandalorians had blasted their way through the surviving security forces, as well as having gotten Kallus onto the _Chuundar’s Legacy_ , where they found a small med bay, where they hooked him up to an IV in order to replenish the blood that he had lost, the woman motioned for a Mandalorian and Lasat sergeant to approach her, where she ordered to the two warriors, “Get this gunship ready for takeoff, as it may be our best means of escape, and it may turn the tide in this little skirmish.”

 

Once the Mandalorian and Lasat saluted in affirmation, Mirta went back outside, where the battle between Darths Kitai and Snoke, Black Krrsantan, the last traitorous GenoHaradan assassin, Guan Drel, and Edaan Palpatine, Sabine Wren, Garazeb Orrelios, Jaden Korr, Vua Rapuung, and Robonino was in full swing, and Mirta was left wondering just how she could help her comrades out in this battle between monsters.

**Well, this day, November 28, 2016, ends the first action packed chapter in my fifth book. Now, I realize that my chapter could use some tinkering, to put it lightly, but I like to think that my work is at least adequate. So, tell me what you think, as long as your criticism is constructive, as verbal abuse will not be tolerated in any form. By the way, so far, I have read over eighty pages in my Stonewall Jackson book, and it is pretty interesting, to say the least. Anyway, tomorrow is a HUGE day for Star Wars Expanded Universe fans, as _Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Eternal Throne_ gets released for early access, and I can’t wait to see what YouTube videos come up that cover the expansion. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. In two days, _Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Annual #1_ and _Star Wars Annual #2_ will be released, and I can’t wait for whatever adventures come next in these two comic books. And, I found out that _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ ’s tentative release date is March 21, 2017, and that leaves me giddy. Oh, and the price for the game online on Amazon is 15% off, so I’d get it while the discount is still good. One more thing, I have got eight days left in my Fall 2016 Semester, and I can’t wait for the one month break in-between semesters. Anyway, May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**

 


	11. Chapter 10

**Hello, all you Star Wars Expanded Universe lovers! How are you doing on this rainy day, which is November 29, 2016? I am doing great, as I only have two more classes in one of my classes at my community college before I have over a month off from school. And, I am especially climbing up the walls for today’s early access release of _Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Eternal Throne_ , as I just saw the first three chapters of the latest expansion, and I enjoyed them immensely. I especially enjoyed that snake, Leontyne Saresh get her comeuppance for her attempts to ruin the galaxy, just so she could take over the Alliance and once again become a galaxy wide despot. Now, if only I could play the game. But, at least I’ve got good videos to keep me entertained. By the way, _Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Annual #1_ and _Star Wars Annual #2_ will be released tomorrow, and, hopefully, I will be able to get the comics, because my mother just had to get her hair dyed that day. Can you guys believe that, by the time that I’ve completed this chapter, I’ll have written over forty thousand words for this story alone? Oh, and one more thing, I will soon use a story plotline from fellow Fanfiction writer RC1115-06, and his story, “The Choices We Make”, and don’t worry, this time, I got the writer’s permission before deciding to use their material in my works. You should check out his story, as it is pretty good. Anyway, let’s get on with the story, as it will be even more action-packed than the last one. **

**(November 30, 2016 Addendum.) Good day, Star Wars enthusiasts. How are you doing on the second day of _Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Eternal Throne_ ’s early access, and I have to say that, other than Vaylin’s tragic fate in Chapter Eight of the expansion, the expansion was amazing! I especially loved when Valkorion/Vitiate got what he deserved, and his scourge upon the galaxy was finally ended, once and for all, (And the Light Side ending was amazing, and I loved the team-up between the Outlander, Arcann, Vaylin, and Senya against Valkorion in the final battle.) and the renewed war between the Old Republic and Resurgent Sith Empire. By the way, I just got my edition of _Star Wars: Catalyst: A Rogue One Story_ , _Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five: Annual #1_ , and _Star Wars: Annual #2_ , and I already enjoyed the latter two, and I can’t wait to get to _Catalyst_ , once I finish my other books, that is, as I want to save the best for last. Oh, and I plan on getting the hardback edition of _Thrawn_ when it comes out as a late birthday present, just because I love Grand Admiral Thrawn, Timothy Zahn and his works in the Star Wars Expanded Universe, and _Star Wars: Rebels_. Now, before you get confused with me because I told you I already had the book, let me explain. I had previously had a digital copy of the book, but I craved a physical copy of the novel, as I just enjoy the feel of a hard copy of a story in my hands. Oh, and one more thing, Arcann’s possible redemption in _Knights of the Eternal Throne_ gives me further resolve to write this story, as it proves that no one is beyond redemption if they’re willing. Anyway, let’s get on with the story.**

_Ten Minutes Later_

_I know that Lord Krayt wants the Jedi and their allies alive, but that does_ not _mean that I am going to make it easy for them!_ Darth Kitai stubbornly thought as she dexterously parried the lightsaber strikes that Jaden and Edaan continued to use on her in their attempts to disarm her. No matter how quick the Jedi were, the Sith Lady was one step ahead of them, and even the efforts of her former friend, Mandalorian commander Mirta Gev, was not enough for the balance to shift from the slight advantage that she currently possessed. Her deft use of _Soresu_ , the third form of lightsaber combat, as well as her agility, were enough to keep her enemies at bay, and her skills were on par with that of legendary Old Republic Jedi Council member, hero of the Clone War, and slayer of General Grievous, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

 

“You can’t keep this up forever, Vestara.” Edaan said through gritted teeth as he launched a barrage of Force Lightning at the woman.

 

“It’s _Darth Kitai_ , now, Edaan, and I don’t have to. I just need to keep you occupied until reinforcements get here, and then we’ll have you right where we want all of you.” Kitai smugly said as she countered Edaan’s use of Force Lightning with her own, each person’s techniques countering each other out.

 

‘To me, you’ll always be ‘Vestara Khai’ until either of us dies, and I will fight, and keep fighting until either I save you from your inner demons, or I die trying.” Edaan earnestly said as he and Jaden charged at Kitai from different angles, hoping to prevent her from escaping their grasp once again.

 

“You can’t be serious. THAT’S what this has all been about?!?” Kitai exclaimed as her cunning mind quickly put all the pieces together, and realized that Edaan was, like Ben Skywalker used to be, hell bent on redeeming her to the Light Side of the Force.

 

“Yes, Vestara. Edaan has planned all of this in order to save you from your own darkness, and bring you and Ben back together.” Jaden said as his, Edaan, and Kitai’s lightsabers clashed, and Jaden quickly overpowered her with his brute force use of _Djem So_ , quickly landing a glancing blow on her right elbow, disabling her right arm, and forcing her to take advantage of her ambidextrousness, and swiftly toss her lightsaber into the air, where she then used the Force to quickly put the lightsaber in her left hand, and then unleashed a powerful wave of Force energy at her adversaries, causing the two Jedi Knights to fall back in order to avoid the brunt of her attack.

 

This distraction gave Kitai the time she needed to begin to flee the battle, but a determined Edaan simply gave a nod to Jaden and Mirta before the former pursued the Sith Lady, and, after twenty seconds of hot pursuit, he was close enough to Vestara to use the powerful Force ability of Force Stasis, immobilizing the woman in her tracks. He then, with his lightsaber still ignited in case she broke free, slowly approached the woman with a pained expression on his face as he came within a foot of Kitai.

 

“Vestara…” Edaan tenderly said as he began to tear up at the enraged site of the woman that had been his obsession for almost thirteen years, before he continued, saying, “I am so sorry that you had to go so far in order to survive, as well as what you had to do in order to do what you believed what would save your people, but you don’t have to live in the darkness anymore. I know that there is still good inside of you, and I won’t rest until it is brought back to the surface, where it deserves to be, and you and Ben are back together, like you should have been all of those years ago.”

 

For a moment, Edaan could see a hint of pain and remorse in Kitai’s eyes as he spoke, but it was quickly squashed as her face hardened, and she spat out, “Like I’d ever go back to that _Jedi_ after he helped you destroy my people’s spirit. No matter what it takes, I’ll make both of you pay for your actions.”

 

“Then let’s put that theory to the test, Vestara.” Edaan stubbornly said as he put both of his hands on Kitai’s temples, gripped them tightly, and began the first step in his plan to redeem her as he transferred a small portion of his essence into her in order to leave her more… open to his point of view. After a few minutes that seemed to stretch into eternity, he let go, and staggered back, while Kitai fell to her knees as her mind struggled to process the memories that were enveloping her mind.

 

_Deep Within Darth Kitai’s Subconscious Mind_

 

Darth Kitai saw nothing but whiteness as her mind relived all of Edaan’s memories, from the moment of his birth, to his first steps, to the discovery that he could use the Force, to the first time that he saw the Force Ghost of his ancestor, Sheev Palpatine, better known to the galaxy as Darth Sidious, to when he first ran away and met his first comrade, the Yuuzhan Vong gladiator and former refugee leader Vua Rapuung, to when he was admitted into the Jedi Order, and he was kept safely away during Belok Rhal’s siege of Coruscant’s Jedi Temple, and when he prepared to leave the Temple to head to the Jedi Academy of Shedu Maad. It was then that the memories stopped rushing towards her, and she was hurled to the ground, to a room that she recognized as one of the quarters for the Younglings of the Jedi Order. In that room, she saw a boy who could be no older than ten years old, who had brown hair and blue eyes, so she assumed to be a younger version of Edaan Palpatine, and was heavily crying and weeping as his arms were wrapped around his knees. She then remembered what was coming next, and she then began to understand why Edaan was so determined to redeem her and get her and Ben Skywalker back together.

 

She then saw a flash of light, and she saw a younger version of herself, back when she was Jedi Apprentice Vestara Khai, crouch down, and gently speak to Edaan, saying, “ _Hey. What’s wrong, young one?_ ”

 

“ _I’m scared._ ” The younger Edaan quietly said in-between sobs.

 

“ _What could you be scared of? This is the Jedi Temple, a bastion of light and safety. And besides: You’re a young boy, so, at your age, shouldn’t you be carefree and energetic?_ ” The spectral Vestara said as she warmly smiled.

 

“ _You must be knew here, so you don’t know._ ” Edaan realized before he took a few deep breaths and declared, “ _My name is Edaan. Edaan Palpatine. I’m a great-great-grandson of Emperor Sheev Palpatine, who is better known to the galaxy as Darth Sidious. And, to make matters worse, I’m sometimes haunted by his ghost when I sleep._ ”

 

“ _Oh. Well, let me tell you a little about me, Edaan. My name is Vestara Khai, and I once was a Sith Apprentice for the Lost Tribe of the Sith._ ” Vestara said after the shock wore off, in order to try and comfort the young boy, causing his eyes to bulge wide open and he tried to crawl away from her, but he found himself blocked by the Sith woman, who then reassuringly said, “ _It’s okay, Edaan, I’m not here to hurt you. Believe it or not, I’m here to join the Jedi Order._ ”

 

“ _I- I heard about this new Sith order, and I can sense that you’re telling the truth. But, if being a Sith is all that you know, then why would you switch sides?_ ” Edaan hesitatingly said as he looked up to face the tender face of Vestara.

 

“ _Because of love, Edaan._ ” Vestara honestly said before continuing, saying, “ _I assume that you know of Ben Skywalker?” Upon seeing Edaan nod in affirmation, she continued, saying, “Well, over the last year, I slowly fell in love with him, and, just a few days ago, we shared our first kiss, became a couple, and now I’m here to train as a Jedi. So, if I can try to exceed the legacy of my tainted family, then surely you can at least try to use your gifts that the Force gave you for good._ ”

 

“ _I… I guess._ ” Edaan hesitatingly said before he suddenly asked, “ _Will you be there to help me, so that one day, we can fight side by side together, as Jedi?_ ”

 

“ _Of course, Edaan. You have my word._ ” Vestara sincerely said before she offered her hand to the Jedi Youngling, who eagerly took it, and she escorted him to Jedi Knight Jaden Korr, who then escorted Edaan to one of the departing shuttles that were about to be en route to the Jedi Academy of Shedu Maad, where the Younglings would stay until the Lost Tribe of the Sith and Abeloth were defeated and eradicated.

 

Sensing the presence of the older Edaan, Kitai slowly turned to face the young Jedi Knight and shockingly said, “I remember you now, Edaan. I knew that I recognized you from somewhere besides you hounding me across the galaxy, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. So, this is why you’ve been so bent on bringing me back to Ben?”

 

“No, Vestara. To fully comprehend my motives, we must go a little further into my mind.” Edaan cryptically said, confusing Kitai, as Edaan was not known for double-speak.

 

Suddenly, Kitai felt herself being pushed forward as the memories continued, seeing the younger Edaan holding on to the hope that Vestara would survive the chaos that followed so that she could fulfill the promise that she had made to her. In the middle of a meditation session on Shedu Maad, Edaan felt a psychic wave of despair and heartbreak come over him, as well as the severing of the connection that Edaan had with his parents, Aunt Isis, two brothers, and two sisters, and he fell to the floor, losing consciousness within seconds, and awakening within the infirmary, with the diminutive form of a Chandra-Fan that Kitai assumed to be the former apprentice of Cighal, Jedi Knight Telki, looking at Edaan from a respectable distance, with a young man with fiery red hair that could not be older than twenty years old right next to her that Kitai recognized all to well as the love of her life: Ben Skywalker. Seeing Ben so young again nearly brought up all of the grief that she had thought that she had long-since buried.

 

“ _Ah. I see that the young Palpatine has awakened from his coma. Excellent._ ” Telki clinically said as she examined the results of the brain scan on a datapad.

 

“ _Wh- who are you? And, where am I?_ ” Edaan groggily said as he tried to sit up, only to be held down by the firm hand of Ben, who had a gentle but pained look on his face as he held him down.

 

“ _Thank you, Ben._ ” Telki gratefully said before she turned her attention to the bedridden Edaan, and then politely said, “ _My name is Telki, and this is Ben Skywalker. The two of us have been caring for you ever since you passed out during a meditation session two weeks ago. Are you all right?_ ”

 

“ _I- I’m fine._ ” Edaan said before asking, “ _How long was I out, and where’s Vestara?_ ”

 

“ _What did you say?_ ” Ben gravely whispered, greatly off-put by Edaan’s shocking question.

 

“ _I said, where is Vestara Khai? She’s my friend, and I want to see if she’s alright._ ” Edaan honestly said, which touched some miniscule corner of Kitai’s hardened heart as she witnessed Edaan’s childlike innocence in action.

 

After a moment that seemed to stretch on for eternity, Ben hatefully said, “ _That karking_ smooka _was a Sith agent all along, and she tried to kill my Aunt Leia, Uncle Han, and adoptive cousin, Amelia. And, when I tried to bring her in to be held accountable for her betrayal, she blasted me with Force Lightning, and fled in, Ship, her personal Sith Meditation Sphere. We haven’t seen her since, and that was two weeks ago. She’s probably gone back to her people by now, and we have no idea where the remainder of them are._ ”

 

“ _What?_ ” Edaan said in disbelief, as he couldn’t seem to comprehend the new information that he had just received. “ _No, no, that can’t be true. She would never betray the Jedi. She was so set on becoming a Jedi, she- she promised me that she would be by my side while I train to become a Jedi._ ” He said in denial.

 

“ _Well, I am sorry, young Edaan, but it appears that she was lying to you in order to integrate herself within the Jedi Order, where she could do the most damage to the free galaxy._ ” Telki sympathetically said.

 

“ _No, no, NO! YOU’RE LYING!_ SHE IS MY FRIEND!!! _SHE-she’s my friend_. _She would never…_ ” Edaan intensely shouted as he struggled to get out of his bed, only to feel a sudden numbness come over him while he spoke as he slowly fell asleep due to the sedative that Telki gave him in order to calm his frantic body and mind.

 

Kitai couldn’t believe the passion that Edaan defended her, even when presented with the truth, but she was then catapulted about five months further in time, to when Edaan was told that his parents were killed by the Celestial abomination, Abeloth, when she created volcanoes on the surface of Coruscant. He ran away into the Temple’s Garden, where he wept as he was soon greeted by a Force Ghost who Kitai immediately recognized as legendary Jedi Master of the Old Jedi Order, Qui-Gon Jinn, who sat down by the young boy and humbly said, “ _Edaan. It’s all right. You are not alone in this galaxy._ ”

 

After Edaan stopped crying, he looked up and said, “ _Who- who are you?_ ”

 

“ _My name is Qui-Gon Jinn. I was the master of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and I am one of the five masters that have been called by your pain in order to help you train for what is to come._ ” Qui-Gon honestly said.

 

“ _What do you mean?_ ” Edaan asked, wondering just where Qui-Gon was going with this.

 

“ _What I mean, young Jedi, is that me and four other great masters of the Force have been tasked with helping you master your great powers, and to prepare you for when you go after Vestara Khai in order to redeem her._ ” Qui-Gon simply answered, greatly shocking Edaan.

 

“ _Me, but why not Ben? And, I’m just a scared little child who just found out had just lost his family. What can I do to save her?_ ” Edaan protested.

 

“ _Ben has been broken by Vestara abandoning him, and he is full of vengeance in wanting to kill her. You alone in the galaxy still hold out hope in redeeming Vestara, as your pure heart has not yet been tainted by the darkness of the galaxy. Also, you have a new family in the Jedi Order, who will help heal your broken heart, and make you the man and leader that you are destined to be. And, you have a great power within you that can make you surpass your ancestor in skill and power._ ” Said another powerful male voice that slowly appeared to Edaan as a man who was covered in battle armor, had a lightsaber around his belt, and wore a Mandalorian Crusaders helmet. Vestara was amazed to recognize this man as the legendary Jedi Master that was simply known as Revan, hero of the Mandalorian Wars, Jedi Civil War, and eventual leader of the Order of Revan before his second and final death at the hands of a joint Old Republic/Resurgent Sith Empire task force that was led by Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan, the de-facto leader of the Resurgent Sith Empire, Darth Marr, Mandalorian Shae Vizla, Republic Strategic Information Service agent Theron Shan, Sith Lady Lana Beniko, Wookiee smuggles Jakarro, and Davin Hawkes, who was better known as the Hero of Tython and The Outlander, hero of the Cold War, Galactic War, and the revolt against the Eternal Empire that followed the Galactic War.

 

“ _How do you know all of this?_ ” Edaan terrifyingly said to the ghost of Revan.

 

“ _Because Revan is a good judge of character, our young pupil._ ” Said the voice of a gentle but firm woman that appeared next to Revan.

 

Kitai did not recognize her, but the spectral form of the present-day Edaan appeared next to her, and explained to the Sith Lady, “ _That woman is Meetra Surik, hero of the Mandalorian Wars, and the woman who along with her crew of Force-sensitives, Droids, Mandalorians, and ex-Sith Ladies, ended the Sith Civil War and First Jedi Purge. She taught me the technique that incapacitated you so that we could have this conversation, along with many other useful skills._ ”

 

“Exactly how long is this trip down memory lane going to last, because I want to get back to trying to capture you?” Kitai impatiently asked.

 

“ _Oh, but the best is yet to come, Vestara, as we still have two more masters to meet before you can fully understand why I’m so driven to save you._ ” Edaan wondrously replied before the image of a man with tattoos of the letter “Xesh” on his head appear next to Revan. Kitai did not recognize this man, but Edaan said, “ _Just keep listening, Vestara, and you’ll understand._ ”

 

“ _Greetings, Edaan Palpatine. My name is Tau. I was once a Force Hound for the Rakatan Infinite Empire before I defected during the Invasion of the Deep Core world of Tython, better known as the First Force War. Don’t worry, I will teach you much about the ancient history of the Jedi Order, which will be crucial to your quest to save Vestara Khai, as well as the galaxy, from their own darkness._ ” The tattooed man who called himself “Tau” said.

 

“ _And I will teach you of the perils of the Dark Side, Edaan, as well as many Force traditions and cultures that will broaden your conception of the Force._ ” Said a voice that Kitai recognized instantly as her jaw fell agape, and caused Edaan to blanch in embarrassment as the image of Darth Caedus, who was once Jedi Knight Jacen Solo, the most infamous and reviled Sith Lord of this generation, as well as the last follower of Darth Bane’s Order of the Sith Lords before its final dissolution after his death at the end of the Second Galactic Civil War.

 

“Oh, you have got to be pulling my leg, Edaan. Are you trying to tell me that one of your dead masters is Darth Caedus, one of the most heinous war criminals of the century?!? And that’s coming from a woman who did the Qreph’s dirty work for several months, including slaughtering over twenty-eight thousand workers!” Kitai disbelievingly said.

 

“ _Yeah, you’ve got a lot to atone for, Vestara._ ” Edaan simply agreed as he chuckled before continuing, saying, “ _I needed Ceadus’s help in order to understand how a Dark Sider thinks in order to save as many people as I can. And, I have to say, I’ve saved a lot of people in the past twelve years, which includes the few million surviving Keshiri and Humans that live on your home world of Kesh. Now, I believe that we have about twelve years of reminiscing to get through, and we have so little time to do it._ ”

 

 

With those words said, Edaan’s spectral image disappeared, leaving Kitai alone in order to experience the remainder of Edaan’s life, from his training with his living and dead masters, to constructing his personal Jedi holocron in order to store the knowledge of his deceased teachers, who imbued a copy of their consciousness into the holocron, to his time as Ben Skywalker’s Padawan, which Kitai knew much of, since much of their time was hunting her in order to capture or kill her, to his secret plans to build up an organization to help him redeem Vestara, to his investigation into Vestara’s actions while under the Jedi Order’s protection, causing Edaan to realize that Vestara did not act out of malice when she betrayed Natua Wan and the Solos, but out of misguided love and a desire to survive, which touched a the core of Kitai’s being for reasons that she could not explain, to his participation in Invasion of Kesh, how he met the love of his life and eventual wife, Adari Thayn Palpatine, to his unsanctioned quest to redeem Vestara, to his creation of the Shadow Alliance, to the Neo Death Watch’s siege of Mandalore, and the infiltration of Korriban.

 

Once the memories stopped flooding through her, Kitai awoke from the deep slumber that she was in, and quickly got to her feet, only to realize that Edaan had taken the time to flee the area, leaving only a hastily written note on the floor. Kitai quickly picked it up, and read it to herself, where it said,

 

_Vestara,_

_As Master Yoda said to Count Dooku during the former’s mission to Vjun in an attempt to redeem the latter during the last six months of the Clone War, ‘When you fall, catch you I will.’ I have faith that you will make the right choice when the time comes. Until then, may the Force be with you._ ”

_Edaan Palpatine_

 

As Kitai considered these words, as well as all of the information that she had just learned, her comlink beeped, causing her to snap out of her contemplation, and said, “Kitai here.”

 

“ _Kitai!! Where the blazes have you been?!? Never mind, just get down here NOW!!! The Jedi and their allies are overwhelming us, and we can’t hold out much longer._ ” Snoke angrily said, and the communications link was cut, leaving Kitai alone to sigh in disgust that the older Sith could not hold her own against a handful of mercenaries, Lasats, and Jedi, and quickly make her way to the spaceport. However, she could not get that letter’s words out of her head, which kept on repeating over and over again: “ _When you fall, catch you I will._ ”

 

**And, that ends perhaps my greatest chapter yet, and not for the action! So, tell me what you think of it, as I desperately need more constructive criticism in order to improve my skills as a writer. I drew heavily upon Valkorion’s use of transferring his life essence into another person’s mind, in order to this chapter believable, as well as mentioning RC1115-06’s Jedi Knight character. Oh, and here’s a heads up: I plan on mentioning the relationship between the Jedi Knight and Sith Lady Lana Beniko that RC1115-06 created in his brilliant story, “The Choices We Make” in a future chapter in order to give my character more hope in trying to redeem Vestara Khai. By the way, as of this chapter, I have written over forty-four thousand words in this story, which is an amazing accomplishment. Oh, and one more thing, I watched the Star Wars Rebels episode, “An Inside Man”, and it was amazing. From Morad Sumar’s death, to the revelation that Kallus is Fulcrum, to the introduction of the TIE Defender, this episode was near perfect. It’s too bad that I can’t use it in my head canon, as it goes too much against the Expanded Universe for my tastes. Well, I’ll see you soon. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**

 


	12. Chapter 11

**Good tidings to all of you Star Wars lovers! How are you doing on this dreary and rainy day of December 4, 2016? I am fine, well, except for my insatiable craving, hunger (much like Darth Nihilus’s hunger for the Force in _Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords_.) and obsession for more Star Wars Expanded Universe material in whatever form they serve it, ranging from comics books, novels, video games, role-playing board games, and TV shows. Well, I got five books at my local help center on Friday, December 2, 2016, for less than four dollars (Which was an amazing deal.) at that deal with history and a Top 100 book on a topic that I will not name for fear of offending anyone who does not like said Top 100 book. So, did you guys hear that Star Wars Rebels will return to Disney XD after the holidays on January 7, 2017, with a two-part episode, which will take place on the sterilized planet of Geonosis, so I expect it to be a great two-parter? By the way, if you celebrate the Holidays, be it Kwanza, Hanukah, Christmas, or another holiday that I do not know, I wish you a Happy Holidays! One more thing, for all of those students out there, how are all of you doing at school, as I only have one more class left in one of my classes (and I have to turn in a project that is 30% of my final grade, so please pray for me), and today is the last day in my other class? I am sure that you all are doing well, but I just want to check up on all of my friends that are on this website. Well, with all of the small talk out of the way, let’s get on with the story, as I’m sure that all of you are eager for more after my last revealing and very gripping chapter.**

 

_1350 Hours_

_Meanwhile, In Docking Bay 1_

_Outside the_ Chuundar’s Legacy

 

Edaan, sensing Kitai beginning to return to the battlefield, redoubled his efforts to bring down Darth Snoke, who was currently in a heated lightsaber duel with him and Sabine, while keeping Jaden and Zeb at bay with a health barrage of Force Lightning. Taking a moment to assess the situation, he quickly looked around to see Vua, Robonino, and Mirta holding off an enraged Black Krrsantan and his sole surviving GenoHaraden assassin, who appeared to be hanging on to life by a single thread, as the two of them were bruised, burned, and bloodied by the battle with the three warriors, while the last three members of Krrsantan’s security team were blasted apart by the eleven surviving Mandalorians and Lasats, which included Kallus Orellios, who then moved to surround the Wookiee bounty hunter and human master assassin.

 

While Edaan was analyzing the battlefield, Sabine mentally remarked at how proficient her onetime friend and comrade had become with a lightsaber, as well as the secrets of the Dark Side of the Force. Despite the years that she spent perfecting her technique upon many of her enemies during and after the First Galactic Civil War, as well as the lightsaber lessons that she had received from Venku Skirata and former Jedi Knight Bardan Jusik, she was barely holding off Snoke’s onslaught by relying on every trick that she could come up with, and she had scarcely landed a blow on the Sith Lord.

 

“You can’t win against me, filthy maggots, so do the smart thing and surrender, while you still can.” Snoke snarled out as he gripped Sabine in the air and began to choke her using the Force.

 

“Never! As long as there’s breath in our bodies, we’ll continue to fight you and your wretched master until the galaxy is at peace!” Zeb vehemently shouted as he began to charge at Snoke for the fifth time since the skirmish began, nimbly dodging the Sith Lord’s lightsaber strikes to punch the old man right in the jaw, causing him to release Sabine form his grip.

 

After taking a moment to take a few deep breaths of much-needed air before getting back up, she reactivated her darksaber, came to Edaan, Zeb, and Jaden, and said as she observed an unconscious Snoke, “So, what do we do with our three prisoners, as we don’t have much time before the One Sith and their minions converge on this location?”

 

“Well, we can’t kill or capture Snoke, as his death or departure from the system will alert the rest of the Sith that we’ve accomplished our objectives. But, as for Black Krrsantan and his GenoHaradan assassin, I think I have an idea that can help the Shadow Alliance in the long run.” Edaan cryptically said, earning suspicious looks from the three other warriors.

 

“Well, don’t keep us in suspense, Edaan. Tell us what your plan is. Preferably before Kitai gets here and throws a hydrospanner in our plans. Well, another one, anyway. ” Zeb impatiently said as he kept a close eye on their new prisoner.

 

“Well, since you asked so nicely.” Edaan sarcastically said before continuing, saying, “I suggest that we have our outgoing ships, including our big and hairy friend’s ship, take back Krrsantan and his assassin to the Shadow Alliance fleet in the Mandalore System in order for High Command to interrogate them for more information about the One Sith, while the rest of us continue on with the mission.”

 

After he finished speaking, the others’ eyelids shot wide open, and Jaden said, “I agree with Edaan. The more information that the Shadow Alliance has before they invade, the better chances the invasion will have of succeeding. Now, let’s get moving, as I can sense Kitai closing in on our location.”

 

“All right.” Sabine said before turning on to her gauntlet’s communicator, and, speaking to the Lasat and Mandalorian sergeants that were manning the _Chuundar’s Legacy_ , said, “Okay. Ashla, Bardia, prepare the _Chuundar’s Legacy_ for takeoff. You’ve got two prisoners to take back to Home Base, and one of them is big, hairy, and very angry, so keep a close eye on Black Krrsantan.”

 

After receiving a brusque “ _Acknowledged._ ” from the two sergeants in charge of the commandeered Appanzanna Engineering Works Auziuck anti-slaver gunship, Sabine beckoned the surviving Mandalorians and Lasats to handcuff and take the two newly acquired prisoners to the gunship, and it quickly took off, using the clearance codes stored away in the ship’s database to sneak past the blockade.

 

Meanwhile, as the _Chuundar’s Legacy_ began to take off, Edaan spoke into his comlink, shouting as he, Sabine, Mirta, Zeb, Robonino, Vua, and Jaden headed towards their docking bay, “Dinua, Akku, you better have gotten the intel by now, because we need to go _now_!”

 

“ _Do not fret, my friend, we already have acquired the intelligence, and have uploaded it to the four ships, which are leaving to head to the Mandalore System as we speak, while we head to our remaining ships to prepare for takeoff to the Valley of the Dark Lords._ ” Akku Sei II said in a calm and collected tone before continuing, saying, “ _By the way, there is an Appanzanna Engineering Works Auziuck anti-slaver gunship that is coming up behind us, and it is designated the_ Chuundar’s Legacy _. Am I correct to assume that that ship is on our side now?_ ”

 

“That is correct, my old friend. It has Black Krrsantan and his sole surviving GenoHaradan assassin as prisoners, as well as a wounded Kallus Orellios, so have the four departing ships keep a close eye on the _Chuundar’s Legacy_.” Edaan confirmed as the seven fighters began to near _The Drunk Side II_ cantina, and turned left to head towards the docking bays, where they were met by Chopper, who grumbled at being left behind in the cantina.

 

“ _Ah, I see. Then I will tell the crews of the four ships to be on high alert._ ” Akku simply said as he fired back at an unknown enemy, and then asked, “Have you suffered any complications, because we are dealing with stiff opposition as we make our way back to the hangars?”

 

“Nothing that we couldn’t handle, my old friend.” Edaan replied, just as a squad of a dozen Mandalorians appeared out of nowhere and prepared to activate their flamethrowers. However, Edaan, glancing at Jaden, who nodded in confirmation of Edaan’s plan, used the Force to jam the discharge nozzle of six flamethrowers, while Jaden jammed the remaining six flamethrowers, and, once the Mandalorians activated their flamethrowers, they exploded, causing the twelve Mandalorians to be burned alive.

 

“Well, that was disturbing.” Sabine grimly said as the seven fighters resumed their run towards the docking bays that contained the _Aliit_ and _Second Chance_ , before continuing in a reflecting tone, saying, “And, two years before the Battle of Yavin, I was once possessed by Dathomiri Spirits while trying to free Ezra from the grip of the ghost of Darth Maul. Of course, that’s how I acquired the Darksaber and gained so many followers while forming the Vindicator Brigade, so it was a very beneficial trip, especially since it was one of the last adventures that I went on with Kanan and Ezra.”

 

“Okay, I really hate to interrupt this trip down memory lane, but we have to pick up the pace, as I can sense about fifty fighters closing in right behind us.” Jaden hurriedly said.

 

“Well, then, Vua, can you carry me, as your size and strength will mean that we will get to the ships much quicker?” Robonino said, and afterwards, Vua simply nodded, and lifted the Patrolian onto his shoulder, earning a chuckle from Sabine, Mirta, and Edaan, before they continued to the docking bays.

 

After encountering little resistance, as the explosions across the city of Dreshdae that Sabine had set off after she and her men had planted them across the city the day before, especially the twenty that were placed in the armory, severely damaging the Neo Death Watch’s ability to fight back against the coming invasion of the Shadow Alliance in Forty-Nine days, when Operation: Endgame commenced, threw the city’s security team into complete and utter chaos.

 

“Well, unless any more Sith attack us once we enter the docking bay, Phase Two of our plan will be a complete success, and we can get on with the hard part of our mission.” Jaden hopefully said, earning agreeing nods from each living fighter.

 

_Twenty Minutes Later_

 

As the eight members of the Shadow Alliance arrived at the docking bays after twenty-five minutes of running, they ran into Artoo, Akku, Dinua, the five other Mandalorians, Atai, Jarael, Adari, and Saarai, who were waiting at the entrance to Docking Bays 45 through 52.

 

“Well, I hope that you guys had a good time causing mayhem and destruction, because we just finished transferring the data to the one Lasat shuttle, two Firespray-31-class patrol and attack crafts, and one _Stathas_ -class freighter, and they have started heading back to Mandalore with the necessary data regarding the planet’s catacombs, the Neo Death Watch’s movements, and infrastructure for the city of Dreshdae.” Dinua said as everyone rushed to the _Aliit_ and _Second Chance_ in order to escape Dreshdae before the city’s defenses reorganized themselves enough to destroy the remaining Shadow Alliance ships.

 

“Oh, we had our fair share of fun. Don’t worry, you’ll all get your chance for some action soon enough, as we will be up to our waists in Sith guts and gore once we enter the Valley of the Dark Lords.” Edaan nonchalantly said before Dinua, Saarai, Sabine, Mirta, Chopper, and the other five Mandalorians that were a part of the infiltration team split off from Jaden and the crew of the _Second Chance_ as both teams went to their respective docking bays in order to prep their ships for takeoff.

 

***

Darth Snoke was beginning to arise from the concussion that his former friend, Garazeb Orellios, had given him, and sensed two Mandalorians and three Loronar Corporation soldiers looking over him. Incensed by the incompetence that the five of his lackeys were displaying, he strangled them using the Force until their necks snapped, killing them instantly. The remainder of the soldiers that Snoke sensed nearby quickly stood at attention as the Sith Lord rose to his feet.

 

“Lord Snoke, are you alright?” said a 2-1B surgical droid that one of the Zygerrians brought with them in order to attend to any wounded.

 

“I’m fine, you lousy bucket of bolts! Where are the Jedi and their minions?” Snoke snapped out at no one in particular.

 

“L-lady Kitai just reported in, my lord. She said that the Jedi and their allies have left Dreshdae, and are heading to the Valley of the Dark Lords.” One Zygerrian hesitatingly said, earning a glare from the seventy-five year-old Sith Lord.

 

Snoke then cursed and swore under his breath as he pulled out his comlink, and then said into the device, “Kitai, what in the Nine Corellian Hells happened?!? How and why did the blasted Jedi and their miserable friends escape you?”

 

“ _Edaan Palpatine happened, Snoke. He wormed his way into my mind and knocked me out cold for over an hour. That… that man is more powerful with the Force than any Jedi that I’ve ever met, even Luke Skywalker. Lord Krayt must be warned about this._ ” Kitai forebodingly said, earning an eye roll from Snoke.

 

“More likely, you bungled up the mission, and now we have to expend more resources capturing them once they arrive at the Valley of the Dark Lords. I’ll be sure to report this failure to Lord Krayt once we capture the infiltrators.” Snoke frustratingly said.

 

“ _And I’ll be sure to tell him how you were overwhelmed by the Jedi and their Mandalorian and Lasat allies as well, so that if I go down, you come with me._ ” Kitai rebutted before she continued, saying, “ _And besides, Lord Krayt wants the Jedi to come to him, so this actually works in our favor._ ”

 

“Fine.” Snoke said, who then sighed and said, “Then, for both of our sakes, we’d better not suffer too many casualties, as it could compromise our ability to repel the Jedi.”

 

“ _Have no fear, Snoke. I’m sure that everything that has transpired across the galaxy as a result of Edaan’s meddling is a part of the Dark Side of the Force’s greater plan for the galaxy._ ” Kitai said, but Snoke could detect just a hint of conflict in her voice as she spoke.

 

Deciding to bring this matter straight to Darths Krayt and his right-hand, Wyyrlok, in secret, he did not push the issue, and said, “You… make a good point, Kitai. But, for both of our sakes, let’s just hope that Lord Krayt shares your optimism, or we’re both dead meat.”

 

“ _Agreed._ ” Kitai simply agreed before she closed the link between the two Sith Lords’ communications channel.

 

After taking a calming breath in order to prevent himself from going into a murderous rampage on the poor soldiers that happened to be in the vicinity, he thought to himself, _Oh, I hope that whatever it may be that Kitai is hiding, it will be enough for Lord Krayt to allow me the pleasure of killing her with my lightsaber._

 

 _Meanwhile, on the_ Second Chance

 

After exchanging a passionate kiss with Adari in order to celebrate the small victory in Dreshdae, Edaan went over to Artoo, and said astromech droid opened a channel with Sabine on the _Aliit_ , who had her own smug grin on her face as she spoke, saying, “ _So, how did it go with Kitai? Did you accomplish what you set out to do, or not?_ ”

 

“The first phase of my plan was a success, Sabine. Now, it’s a matter of waiting and persistence in achieving my goals.” Edaan replied before changing the conversation’s subject, saying, “Did the Chuundar’s Legacy and our four other ships get out of the Horuset System safely?”

 

“ _It was close, but our forces only lost the_ Darjetii Slayer.” Sabine solemnly said as she referred to the single _Stathas_ -class freighter that tried to leave the system.

 

“I’m sorry Sabine. How many men were onboard when it was destroyed?” Edaan sympathetically asked the Mandalorian commander.

 

“ _Thankfully, most of our men were on our other ships, so we only lost nine men. But, at least we’ll get the vital intel over to High Command._ ” Sabine said with relief lacing her voice.

 

“Yeah. Hopefully it will be worth the lives that were and will be lost during Operation: Endgame. Speaking of Operation: Endgame, we need Artoo and Chopper to go through all of the data that we’ve acquired in order to find out where the entrances to the Krayt’s temple are.”

 

“I’ve already got Chopper scouring through the data, and he’s got a fix on one entrance to the catacombs within the Tomb of… Tulak Hord? Do you know who that is, Edaan?” Sabine curiously asked the young Jedi.

 

“Yeah, I do. He was a big-time Sith Lord during the period in-between the Hundred Year Darkness and the Great Hyperspace War. His tomb was one of the four that the amnesiac Jedi Revan looted during the Jedi Civil War. That tomb was also where Lord Kallig discovered Tulak Hord’s Deshade servant, Khem Val, and bound him to obedience during the final years of the Cold War.” Edaan explained.

 

“ _Well, that clears up absolutely nothing._ ” Mirta Gev mockingly said as she entered the holographic conversation, and continued, saying, “ _Do you know how to navigate the tomb so we can enter the catacombs, because that will save us some vital time?_ ”

 

“Unfortunately, no, Mirta. Revan didn’t teach me too much about Korriban’s tombs during my training, so we’ll just have to make it up as we go along.” Edaan replied.

 

“ _Hey, all the best plans are improvised._ ” Sabine said, ending any complaints on Mirta’s part, before she continued, saying, “ _We should be at the Valley of the Dark Side within fifteen minutes. Once we’re there, we should have a few men take the ships and hide within the planet’s tombs, so that the Neo Death Watch’s forces can’t destroy our one way off of the planet._ ”

 

“Agreed. I’ll leave Artoo and Atai behind to look after the _Second Chance_.” Edaan said in agreement.

 

“ _Hey, guys, we’d better prepare for the landing, because we won’t be able to get much rest once we leave our ships._ ” Zeb said as he entered the conversation.

 

“Yeah, you’re right. May the Force be with us, because we’ll need it to survive the gauntlet of death that awaits us.” Edaaan solemnly said as Sabine, Mirta, and Zeb nodded, and he motioned for Artoo to close the projector.

 

**Well, that ends my shortest chapter yet in my fifth story. And I wrote it in only three days. So, what did you think of this chapter? I want your honest opinions. Now, onto explaining a few things for you guys. I wanted to begin to display the conflict that Edaan introduced into Vestara, as well as Snoke’s savagery in dealing with his fellow Sith and his minions. By the way, are you guys aware that on amazon.com, two great reference books that are titled** ** A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Exploring Star Wars Comics ** **and A Long Time Ago: Exploring the Star Wars Cinematic Universe are on sale right now. I don’t know about you, but I plan on getting them tomorrow, and read them after a few more books that I want to read. So, only ten days left until Rogue One premiers, and I have to see it with my brother, as I do very few things with my brother ever since he left home for college. Oh, and finished the Fall 2016 semester at my community college, and I expect to pass both classes. Anyway, tomorrow, Injustice: Ground Zero #1 gets released and my mother is going to get it for me. Well, with all of the small talk out of the way, I bid you a good night. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**

 


	13. Chapter 12

**Hey, everybody. How are you doing on this fine day of December 7, 2016? I am alright, as I got back from applying at a few locations for part-time work. I hope that one of those leads is productive, as I could always stand to earn some walking-around cash, if you know what I mean. Oh, and before I forget, I got Injustice: Ground Zero #1 today, and I enjoyed it very much. It really sheds a new light on Harley Quinn and her slightly deranged mind. In addition, I ordered those two books from the internet that I told you guys about yesterday, on December 6, 2016, A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Exploring Star Wars Comics and A Long Time Ago: Exploring the Star Wars Cinematic Universe, and I know that I will enjoy those books very much. So, only three days until the last 2016 episode of _Star Wars Rebels_ premiers on Disney XD, and it promises to be a very exciting one, even if I can’t integrate a good deal of it into my head canon, what, with Darth Maul (or should I just call him “Maul” now, now that he’s not Darth Sidious’s apprentice at this point in the timeline.) still alive in the show. Also, there are only eight days left until I see _Rogue One: A Star Wars Story_ with my brother at a late night showing at a nearby movie theater, and it better be a good movie, as my parents paid good money for those tickets. So, how many of you yearn for the days when the Expanded Universe was continued on a massive scale, ranging from comics to novels and video games, before Disney and others got their hands on it and… let’s just say manipulated Star Wars in order for the franchise to fit their ideas and ideals instead of sticking with what was working for so many people, including myself. I apologize if I am getting on anyone’s nerves, I just want to get my opinions across in a calm and restrained manner, without offending anyone that has opinions or beliefs that are different than mine. Anyway, I hope that you all enjoyed the previous few chapters full of action and spoilers, because even more will be coming. But, I must warn you that those chapters are still a ways off, because I still have to figure out exactly what goes in all of the other interceding chapters. So, I ask you to be patient, as I promise you that it will be worth the wait. Well, with all of the small talk out of the way, let’s get on with the story, as this chapter will delve into the landscape and fauna of the planet, Korriban, which will be pivotal into giving Edaan and his allies some much-needed help in navigating the planet’s treacherous landscape, which could prove to be the difference between life-and-death for Edaan’s allies and companions. **

**(December 8, 2016 Addendum) Hey, all of my loyal readers. Sorry to give you an addendum in this big chapter, I just wanted to tell you guys some BIG _Mass Effect_ news. According to Titan Books, there are three _Mass Effect_ novels coming out in Spring, Summer, and Fall 2017. You can find out more about these books on the Mass Effect Wiki. I really hope that these three books can live up to the hype that is going on right now, because I desperately need more science fiction and fantasy books. Oh, one more thing. I bought three new books today at Books-A-Million, and they are very promising. They are Erik Prince’s _Civilian Warriors: The Inside Story of Blackwater and the Unsung Heroes of the War on Terror_ , Annie Jacobsen’s _The Pentagon’s Brain: An Uncensored History of DARPA, America’s Top Secret Military Research Agency_ , and John McCain and Mark Salter’s _13 Soldiers: A Personal History Of Americans At War_. Well, with that news out of the way, let’s get back to the story.**

**(December 10, 2016 Addendum) Hello, all of you _Star Wars Rebels_ fans! How are you doing on this fine afternoon? I am fine, as I have finished volunteering at the local library, and picking up the remaining leafs that were in my parent’s backyard. Oh, and, this morning, I watched the latest episode of _Star Wars Rebels_ through Kids on Demand, and I enjoyed it very much. I won’t spoil anything for anyone who hasn’t watched the episode yet, but I will say this. For all of those fans out there with whatever theories that you have, be it potential storylines or potential romances, take my advice, and just enjoy the show for what it is. Oh, and if there is something that you do not like about the show, then you can make your voice heard in a responsible and mature way, such as by debating it in appropriate forums online, or by mailing the creators of the show, as we don’t need any more fanatics out there spreading hate in various forms. One thing I will say is this: it looks like my prediction of Ezra falling to the Dark Side and becoming Snoke is looking less and less likely, which is both good and bad, as I don’t want Ezra to fall to the Dark Side, but, at the same time, if Ezra doesn’t fall, it will conflict with my story. Well, I guess that that’s one way that the cookie can crumble, sometimes. Well, let’s get back to the story. **

_Ten Minutes Later_

_Onboard the_ Aliit

 

Sabine Wren was twirling one blaster in her hand as she held the darksaber in her other hand and looked at it with an intensity that rivaled the very dark stare that she gave Darth Snoke before they fought. She was wondering how Edaan could have sunk to such depths that he would betray everything that he believed in, as well as betray his friends and loved ones, before Zeb and Mirta came up from behind her, and Zeb said, “You okay, Sabine?”

 

“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine, Zeb. That was a killer punch that you gave Snoke, by the way. He really should be feeling the pain for at least a few days.” Sabine said as she complimented her longtime friend for him still retaining his brute strength after so many years of being supreme commander of the Lira San Armed Forces.

 

“Heh. I guess I’ve still got it, huh?” Zeb said as he chuckled, before his face became serious, his shoulders became rigged, and then said, “But, I’m serious, Sabine. How are you holding up with this ‘Ezra with the One Sith and trying to help them take over the galaxy’ business? I know it isn’t easy for you, since it’s tearing me apart from the inside just seeing Ezra like this.”

 

“All right, I admit, I wish that Ezra were still with us, as it would have made Kanan, Hera, Ahsoka, and Rex so proud to see the four of us still carrying on their dream of a free galaxy like this. But, the odds of saving Ezra are remote, so we need to prepare for that all-too likely probability that he can’t be saved, and the only way we can help Ezra is by putting him out of his misery.” Sabine despondently said before Mirta sat down next to her.

 

“Don’t give up hope, Sabine, because hope could be all that determines whether or not this mission succeeds, and destroy the Sith once and for all. After all, I had all but given up hope until Edaan was able to talk some sense into me, and I got reunited with Ghes and my _ba’buirs_ as a result of believing in Edaan and his promises.” Mirta encouragingly said as Sabine sadly smiled at the former’s words.

 

“Yeah, but, Mirta, you weren’t a power-mad Sith who wanted to cause chaos over the galaxy in the hopes of taking over said galaxy, you were just a broken woman that wanted what she thought was best for her people before being shown the error of your ways.” Sabine countered as she holstered away her Westar-35 blaster pistol on her side holster, earning a chuckle from Mirta.

 

Mirta, after she stopped chuckling, she then humorously said, “All right, point taken. Still, I hope that I survive this suicide mission, as I would hate for Bria and Ralo to be left to be raised by just Ghes, as he couldn’t handle those two uber-hyper children.”

 

“I agree, as I saw those kids training before we left, and they’ll grow up to be great _mandos_ when they get older.” Sabine complimented to her fellow Mandalorian.

 

Just as Sabine stopped talking, Dinua’s voice came through the speakers across the ship, and the woman said, “ _Hey! You better prepare for landing, fellas, because we’ll be landing in the Valley of the Dark Lords within two minutes._ ”

 

“Well, I guess we’d better get ready, everyone, because we’ve arrived at the point of no return.” Zeb solemnly said as he slung his Bo-Rifle around his back, and headed for the loading bay, with Mirta, Sabine, and the five other Mandalorians right behind him, where they stood for the next three minutes before the docking ramp opened, and Dinua, Saarai, and Chopper came down from the cockpit. The eleven fighters then exited the CEC VCX-100 light freighter to find six of the eight crew members of the _Second Chance_ , minus Atai Molec and Artoo, as well as Seelah Verge and Jaden Korr, standing by the CEC YT-1300 light freighter as they waited for the rest of their comrades to exit their ships. Little by little, each ship arrived in the open valley, dropping off forty Mandalorians, twenty-three Lost Tribe of the Sith Deserters, and fifty-five Lasat infiltrators, while the other fifteen Mandalorians and fifteen Lasats prepared to take the twelve ship, and hide them on the nearby world of Khar Delba until the strike force called them to provide support, or, on the off chance that the one-hundred-and-twenty-six warriors were captured by the One Sith, until Operation: Endgame commenced.

 

“All right. Is everyone ready for the journey into the void, because I’m sure not?” Edaan said with a nervous smile on his face as he spoke in his personal Jedi Combat Armor.

“Nope.” Said practically everyone who was present, earning an amused smile from Edaan.

 

“Yeah? Well, I don’t blame any of you.” After taking a deep breath, Edaan continued, his voice full of empathy and passion as he said, “All right. Look, I’m not good at rallying cries, so I’ll be brief: We are up against insurmountable odds, and the odds are high that a lot of us won’t make it back alive. But, we are on the cusp of ending a five-thousand-year war that has consumed billions, nay, _trillions_ of lives across the galaxy! We will avenge all of those lives that have been taken by both sides, and bring the fight to the enemy of life itself: the Sith. They will, if left unchecked, bring even more chaos and death into the galaxy. But, we can end it now, if we, and the rest of the Shadow Alliance, work together as comrades and allies, and take the fight back to the Sith. Now, who’s with me? Victory, or death! _OYA_!!!”

 

“ _OYA_!!!” The Mandalorian component of the strike force screamed.

 

“May the Force be with us!!!” Edaan continued, causing everyone in the strike force to roar in approval as they raised their fists in the air once Edaan concluded his passionate and moving speech.

 

Once everyone calmed down, Edaan, Sabine, Zeb, and the rest of the captains of each twelve ships signaled for their remaining crews to take the ships to the dark side of the planet, where they would remain until called upon. The crews of each ship worked diligently, and, within five minutes, every ship was well on its way to exiting the planet’s atmosphere and heading to the Sith Space world of Khar Delba.

 

_Four Hours Later, in the Mandalore System_

_On the Planet of Mandalore, In the City of Keldabe, In the_ Oyu'baat

 

“So, I take it that you got the intelligence reports, Skywalker?” Boba Fett said with his typical stoicism as he looked at Luke Skywalker while they both gulped down some Mandalorian wine.

 

“Yes, I did, Fett. Edaan’s already made some progress in achieving his goals, especially since your granddaughter, Garazeb Orellios’s son, Sabine, and their men captured Black Krrsantan and the last GenoHaraden assassin that worked for Daala, and they caused quite a bit of havoc in the city of Dreshdae before they went to the Valley of the Dark Lords. Speaking of Krrasantan, he and the rest of his captors should be arriving on the _Megador_ within the hour. ” Luke said as he swiveled his glass of wine around in his hand.

 

“Yeah. Hopefully, you Jedi can do better work with him than with what happened with Daala, as it took Edaan delving very close to the Dark Side in order to get the intel that he needed.” Boba said in an ominous tone as he finished the last of his wine.

 

“Exactly what are you getting at, Fett?” Luke suspiciously asked as he glared at the mandalore at his remark.

 

“What I’m ‘getting at’, Skywalker, is that Black Krrsantan likely won’t crack and spill all of his secrets to us if you use restraint in your questionings. We need to take a hands-on approach in this interrogation, and attack him on multiple fronts, both mentally and physically. Hopefully, your Jedi Order is like Edaan in regards to be willing to get their hands dirty in order to achieve their goals.” Boba irritatingly said, tired of having to explain everything to so many of his supposed allies in Edaan Palpatine’s all-but mad quest to eradicate the Sith once and for all.

 

“If we use the same tactics as our enemies, as well as be as heartless as them, what separates us from them in the long run?” Luke questioned, not willing to allow the Shadow Alliance to sink to the level of the One Sith and their minions.

 

“We’re not going to kill Krrsantan, if that’s what you’re worried about, Skywalker. But time’s running out before Operation: Endgame commences, and we need every advantage we can get in order to destroy the Sith, as we’ll be fighting them on Korriban, the Sith’s original home world, so they’ll have the home field advantage when we invade.” Boba argued.

 

“I’m well aware of the stakes, Fett. I just don’t want to risk having any of my fellow Jedi repeating my nephew’s… very tragic, and extremely destructive path of obsessive control and devastation.” Luke said, referring to his dead nephew, Jacen Solo, who, before he died, became the Sith Lord Darth Caedus.

 

“No argument from me there, Skywalker. Let’s just hope that you and your Council learned from that fiasco that you, Vegere, and Lumiya created, and avoid creating yet another Sith Lord, especially if the data that Edaan and his allies have discovered proves to be accurate.” Boba said, referring to the intelligence that Edaan had discovered before entering the city of Dreshdae.

 

“I know. It’s a shame the Edaan and the others couldn’t find out more about who Darth Krayt is, but at least we have some idea of what we’re walking into now, and- Hold on. You’re willing to trust the word of three dead Jedi that appeared to the descendant of Emperor Palpatine? I don’t know whether to be impressed or frightened by this development.” Luke remarked as he finished his wine and put down the glass.

 

“Why can’t it be both, Skywalker?” Boba said in an uncharacteristically nonchalant tone as he got up from their booth and headed back to his personal ship, the _Slave I_ , while Luke soon got up in order to head to his deceased wife’s ship, the _Jade Shadow_ , and, soon enough, the two ships exited the city of Keldabe, and headed into space to where the sole remaining Super Star Destroyer, the _Megador_ , resided, where both leaders would preside over the interrogation of the bloodthirsty gladiator and Neo Death Watch commander, Black Krrsantan.

 

_Meanwhile, On the Planet Korriban_

_In the Valley of the Dark Lords, 0.5 Kilometers near the tomb of Tulak Hord_

“Karabast! Sabine, six hundred!” Zeb said as he spotted a fifth pack of tuk’ata hounds approaching the small army from behind, which appeared to be hoping to take advantage of the legion’s attention being focused on the two remaining packs of tuk’atas in order for the dark-side creatures to feast upon the flesh and blood of living enemies.

 

Sabine, with her Darksaber in one hand, and one of her WESTAR-35 blaster pistols in another, turned her head to see the tuk’ata near the strike team’s rear, and, shouted, “Edaan, Jaden, Seelah, Saarai, Robo, Vua, with me!” Seeing what Sabine was pointing at, the six warriors quickly followed the aged Mandalorian to confront this new complication. Moving fast in order to blunt the eight tuk’ata that were converging on their position, Edaan, Seelah, Saarai, and Jaden launched a barrage of Force Lightning on the new enemies, near-instantly killing two of them and incapacitating three others, while Sabine threw three thermal detonators in the air on a trajectory that would intercept and scatter the three still-moving hounds, Vua used a sniper rifle to cleanly shoot out one of the scattering tuk’ata’s brains, causing it to drop to the ground at once, and Robonino used his blaster pistols to keep the two tuk’ata that were still able to fight off-balance until the two other packs were dealt with.

 

Moving quickly, Dinua, three other Mandalorians, and two Lasats came to the aid of the Patrolian bounty hunter, and activated their flamethrowers, and burned the five surviving tuk’atas alive. Once the lesser threat was dealt with, the thirteen warriors turned their attention to the twelve remaining tuk’atas that were battling the surviving ex-Sith, Mandalorians, and Lasats. With their reinforcements cut off, the battle quickly turned in the favor of the strike force, and the thirty-seven Mandalorians, twenty-four Lost Tribe of the Sith Deserters, fifty-three Lasat infiltrators, two Jedi, and the five other crew members of the _Second Chance_ completely obliterated the last of the dark side hounds.

 

After everyone secured the perimeter, Sabine despondently said, “How many did we lose, Dinua?”

 

“Thankfully, very few, Commander. Gistang, Vortan, and Satine were killed in the surprise attack, while our ex-Sith allies lost Traya, and your Lasat friend’s people lost Isan and Myran. All in all, we’re making good progress, with relatively few casualties.” Dinua dutifully reported, earning a relieved sigh from Sabine.

 

“Good. Hopefully, we can avoid losing any more people to these dark side abominations.” Sabine said as she used her trademark Nite Owls helmet to scan the area for any other potential threats.

 

“Unfortunately, Sabine, the tuk’ata’s are only the tip of the iceberg. This planet is also home to terentateks, creations of Sith alchemy that feed off of Force-rich blood, shyracks, winged creatures that live in Sith tombs, klor’slugs, which I’m sure that you’re familiar with, hssiss, dark side creatures that can cloak themselves to ambush their prey, and Wraids, giant hulking creatures that are supposed to just live on Tatooine, but have been found on Korriban and Tython as well. Oh, and, last, but not least, don’t forget the corpses of various scavengers that are reanimated by the Dark Side of the Force to defend the secrets of this planet, so, whatever you do, stay away from any bodies that you find, and don’t loot anything from any corpse or storage unit, as any of those actions could rouse the Dark Side spirits that call this place home.” Edaan academically explained to Sabine and Dinua, with the rest of Edaan’s crew, Jaden Korr, and Zeb listening intently.

 

“Whoa.” Sabine simply said after processing the information that Edaan had just told everyone.

 

“Well, now we know why Darth Krayt and the One Sith chose this planet to hide on. This place is a deathtrap for all who come here!” Zeb exclaimed to the young Jedi.

 

“Indeed, Zeb. The strange thing is, though, that I didn’t see any of those creatures when I came to this planet during the Disciples of Ragnos Crisis.” Jaden said in agreement before turning contemplative.

 

“They probably thought that the Jedi and Dark Jedi that came to the planet at the time were too numerous and dangerous prey for them to attack. Also, only you entered the Tomb of Marka Ragnos when you were a young Jedi Knight, so it’s likely that you were beneath their notice.” Edaan theorized to the older Jedi Knight, who looked down in consideration upon hearing Edaan’s theory.

 

“Well, whatever the case, we need to get moving, as tit’s only a matter of time before the One Sith find out where we are and send their forces to take us down.” Mirta said, who just entered the conversation, earning approving nods from everyone who was listening in on this discussion.

 

“Yeah, I-” Edaan said before being abruptly cut off, sensing a small disturbance in the Force that compelled him to head off towards one of the tuk’ata that Dinua and her Mandalorians burnt, only to reveal the whimpering of the five-foot long tuk’ata, who was twitching on the ground as it struggled to get back up. “Hey, Jaden, Adari, Sabine, Saarai, come over here!” Edaan quickly shouted as the crude outlines of a plan began to come together in his mind, and he began to heal the tuk’ata’s wounds with the Force.

 

“Edaan, what’s-” Sabine said as she saw Edaan trying to heal the beast. She, along with the three Force-sensitives were confused beyond belief as they witnessed Edaan’s baffling act, and she shouted, “Edaan, what the kark are you doing?!? Either kill that foul beast, or move out of the way to that one of us can do it!”

 

“I have a plan, Sabine. Are any of you familiar with the tuk'ata nobilis?” Edaan suddenly asked.

 

This question confused everyone present but Jaden, who academically said, “The tuk’ata nobillis were two Tuk’ata that were tamed by the Jedi Beast Master Kanzhei Opil about three hundred years before the rise of the First Galactic Empire. They were killed a few months after the Great Jedi Purge began by Darth Vader during the Insurrection on Vaklin in the Temple of Imperfect Repose. But I don’t see what…” Jaden’s explained before his train of thought wandered as he began to figure out just what it was that Edaan was up to. “Hold on, Edaan. I sincerely doubt that even a Jedi of your caliber can save a creature that feeds off of the Dark Side in order to survive for centuries.”

 

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Jaden.” Edaan sarcastically said before he continued, saying, “I know that it’s a huge gamble, but if my plan works, then this tuk’ata can serve as our guide through the planet’s tombs and catacombs and whatever defenses that they might have.”

 

“And if it stabs us in the back when we’re needed most, what then, Edaan?” Sabine mockingly asked.

 

“He, Sabine. I can sense that this tuk’ata is a he. Now, Jaden, Saarai, are you going to help me or not, as I don’t think that I can heal him alone?” Edaan impatiently asked his fellow Jedi Knight and comrade in the Force.

 

After weighing all of the options in his head in ten seconds that seemed to stretch on forever, Jaden sighed, and reluctantly nodded his head, surprising everyone. “Fine. But, this tuk’ata is your responsibility, Edaan, and, if bad anything happens to us as a result, then the consequences will be on your hands. Do you understand?” After receiving a confirming nod from Edaan, Jaden then beckoned for Saarai to follow him, and the two Force-sensitives began to apply the healing arts of the Force on the tuk’ata, while Edaan transferred a small portion of his life energy into the beast, cleansing it of the darkness that permeated its being.

 

It took twelve minutes until the blaster wounds and burns healed, and once the tuk’ata got back up to its feet, it did something that no one expected: It licked Edaan’s face in gratitude.

 

“Okay… I didn’t see that coming.” Adari said to no one in particular as she witnessed her husband get licked by a Sith hound that tried to kill them a little while ago.

 

After petting the huge beast, Edaan said, “Saarai, can you ask Butch if he can help us safely enter the catacombs through the Tomb of Tulak Hord, as you’re the only one of us who understands the Sith language?”

 

“I’ll give it my best, Edaan.” Saarai said as she began to converse with the newly named tuk’ata in the Sith tongue, while Sabine and Jaden pulled Edaan aside to talk with him.

 

“Really, Edaan? ‘Butch?’” Sabine disbelievingly said as she carefully observed the conversation between Butch and Saarai for any hint of treachery from either being.

 

“Hey. Butch is a noble name, dating back to the twilight years of the Je’daii Order, when then-Je’daii Journeyer Shae Koda used Dark Side alchemy to create a rancor-dragon, a rancor with dargon wings that could fly, and she proved to be a loyal beast during the First Force War.” Edaan said, slightly offended at the insinuation that “Butch” was a terrible name for a loyal beast.

 

“Uh, I think that ‘Butch’s’ name is the least of our worries, Sabine. We need to keep a close eye on Butch. At least until he has a chance to prove his worth.” Jaden said, hoping to get this conversation back on track to what really mattered.

 

“Well, at least you guys are giving him a chance, so that’s a sign of progress.” Edaan positively said.

 

After about five minutes, Saarai came to the four people and said, “Well, Butch has agreed to help us take down the One Sith, so we’d better get moving before the sun sets.”

 

“Agreed.” Edaan said as he and Adari went to inform their crew about their newest ally, with Jaden, Sabine, Saarai, and Butch close behind.

 

“If I haven’t said it before, I’ll say it now: Edaan attracts a lot of strange allies.” Sabine remarked.

 

“So do you Mandalorians.” Jaden humorously replied, earning a friendly punch on the shoulder from Sabine.

 

**Well, that ends another important chapter in my fifth story. So, can you guys believe that, as of now, I’ve written over fifty-two thousand words (in just a measly ninety-six pages) in this story so far? I can’t, and I’m writing the story, for crying out loud. So, are you guys excited for Rogue One, as I am going to see it in four days with my younger brother? I honestly don’t know what to expect, but it better be good, or I will be disappointed. By the way, if you guys are questioning my sanity right now by including a good tuk’ata, let me explain. This has been an idea of mine for quite some time, and the Tuk’ata Nobilis are real in the Expanded Universe. More specifically, they are in the comic book _Star Wars: Jedi Purge: Tyrant’s Fist: Part 2_ , and everything that I said about them was true. Oh, and Edaan’s ability to transfer some of his life essence into others is like the Barsen'thor’s ability to shield people from the Dark Side of the Force. Anyway, I don’t have much else to say tonight, so I guess that I’m signing off. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	14. Chapter 13

**Hello, Star Wars Expanded Universe enthusiasts! How are you doing on the cool afternoon of December 12, 2016? I am doing well, as I am almost done with my Stonewall Jackson book, with under a hundred and fifty pages to go, and I got a good review from a great fanficiton writer named DaWitcher on my stories, and, if I’m being honest with myself, I plan to take whatever advice that he gives me, as they writes way better stories than me. By the way, a couple of hours ago, I received my copies of A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Exploring Star Wars Comics and A Long Time Ago: Exploring the Star Wars Cinematic Universe, and I know that I will enjoy these unofficial books very much. So, with the holidays coming up, what are you guys going to do for those special days? As for me, I am going to be spending Christmas with an uncle who’s coming down from New England for that great holiday. Anyway, it’s hard to believe that by the time that I’ve written this chapter, I’ll have written at least fifty-five thousand words (and in just one hundred pages) in this story alone, and in just around two months. Oh, and there’s only three days until I see that blasted movie, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story with my brother. I hope that it’s good, as my brother really wants to see that movie. Aynway, I can’t wait for more _Star Wars Rebels_ , as, like _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_ , I just enjoy the story for the love of Star Wars (And I tweak what I can of the two shows into my head canon in order to keep my love of Star Wars alive and well. So, in my last chapter, I included a new ally for Edaan Palpatine in the form of a tuk’ata that he named Butch in order for me to honor the memory of the legendary rancor-dragon, Butch, that was owned by the Je’daii Ranger Shae Koda, hero of the First Force War, in the awesome comic book series, _Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi_. One more thing, for those of you who think that Black Krrsantan’s story is over, don’t worry, I have one last surprise in store for him, and, (SPOILER ALERT!) it involves a Wookiee brawl, similar to the one in the Star Wars comic book crossover, _Vader Down_. Well, with all of the small talk out of the way, let’s get on with the story. Oh, and, one more thing. I have just discovered that the first book in the Mass Effect Andromeda prequel trilogy is already available on amazon.com. If I were you, I’d get it while you can, as I have a strong feeling that it will be a huge success.**

**(December 13, 2016 Addendum.) Hey, guys. How is your day going? My day is going fine, as I am almost done with James I. Robertson, Jr.’s book, Stonewall Jackson: The Man, The Soldier, The Legend, with only about forty pages left in that incredibly long book. Once that book is done, I can move on to the rest of my books. Oh, and speaking of books, I have decided to leave my Star Wars books, which includes Star Wars: Catalyst: A Rogue One Story, A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Exploring Star Wars Comics, and A Long Time Ago: Exploring the Star Wars Cinematic Universe for last in my incredibly long stack of new books, since that stack is only going to get even bigger after the holidays. (3:41 P.M. Addendum. Great news! I have just finished Stonewall Jackson: The Man, The Soldier, The Legend, and it was a great book. I hope to read other great books like that in the future.) (6:30 P.M. Addendum. Well, in Star Wars book news, I have started reading Star Wars: Catalyst: A Rogue One Story, and I am seventy-four pages into the book so far. I will read more tomorrow, and, hopefully, finish the book tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, as I have to help my mother clean up tomorrow. Oh, and, before I forget, thank you, Zewel von Lelek, for deciding to follow me and my latest story. I promise that my remaining two stories will not disappoint you and the other readers of my works. Now, let’s get back to my story.) **

“OH, COME ON! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!” Zeb furiously shouted as the tuk’ata that Edaan named “Butch” cowered behind his new friend and master. “You expect me to believe that a Sith war hound has defected over to our side after trying to kill us, and wants to guide us through a Sith tomb?!?” Zeb incredulously continued.

 

“Uh… Yup. That about sums it all up, Zeb.” Edaan nonchalantly said as the Lasat supreme commander growled menacingly and walked up to the twenty-year-old Jedi Knight and stared down at him.

 

“You’re really getting on my nerves and driving me crazy, Edaan. And that’s saying something, since I had to put up with an antagonistic Chopper for over six years before he mellowed down a bit.” Zeb angrily said as his hands clenched and unclenched into fists as he struggled to control his anger and desire to strangle the young Jedi.

 

“Well, then, you should be able to put up with my schemes and plans, as Chopper was, and still is, by the way, way worse than I am.” Edaan replied in near-complete seriousness, with just a hint of humor lacing his voice as he spoke.

 

In response to those words, Chopper warbled and beeped furiously, and came over to Edaan to try and shock him, but Edaan, realizing just what the C1 droid was up to, and used the Force to immobilize him, causing Chopper to shake around as he complained in droidspeak about not being able to hurt Edaan.

 

“Now then…” Edaan said before turning his full attention back to Zeb and said, “Look, Zeb, I completely understand your skepticism regarding my plans, but we need a guide in order for us to avoid the traps and defenses that exist within Korriban’s catacombs, as well as help alert us to any ambushes that the One Sith might try and pull while we find the Sith’s main headquarters. If Butch tries anything suspicious, and I mean _anything at all_ , I will take personal responsibility and end his life.” Upon heraring those last words, Butch tensed up and whined, forcing Edaan to comfort him until he calmed down.

 

“Fine. But remember, I’m watching you, Edaan.” Zeb said as he relented and warned the leader of this impromptu strike force before walking away to tell his fellow Lasats about this new development.

 

“Duly noted.” Edaan muttered as he and his new friend went over to Adari, Vua, Akku, Robonino, Jarael, and Jaden, who each had a look of worry that was directed at the leader of the Shadow Alliance. In response to said stressful looks, Edaan asked, “Something wrong, guys?”

 

“You bet all of your credits that something’s wrong, boss!” Robonino furiously said as he ground his teeth together in anger. “We’re recruiting ta tuk’ata of all things to the cause now?!? Is it just me, or have you gone off your rocker?”

 

“While I don’t agree with Robonino’s terminology, he does raise a valid point. Your decision to bring a tuk’ata into our ranks is very risky, and could prove detrimental towards our cause.” Akku said in his classic stoic voice, with Vua simply nodding his head in agreement.

 

“I think that getting so close towards your lifelong goal is causing you to take unnecessary risks, and causing additional psychological stress upon your psyche.” Jarael said with her trademark medical authority laced in her voice as she spoke.

 

“Edaan, is there anything that you want to talk about with us?” Adari said, concern lacing her tone as she spoke, her eyes pleading with Edaan to talk with her.

 

“I think that you and Adari should talk this out while Butch gets acquainted with the rest of us.” Jaden said, hoping to diffuse the simmering tension between Edaan and his wife and friends.

 

After catching on to what Jaden was referring to, Edaan said “Oh, yeah. Yeah, of course. Adari, how about we talk over there?” As soon as he pointed by some crumbling ruins that was about one kilometer away from the Tomb of Tulak Hord, Butch went to follow Jaden and the rest of Edaan’s crew, and Adari nodded in agreement before following him so that they could sit next to each other, and Edaan innocently said, “So, Adari, what exactly did you want to talk to me about?”

 

“Dear, I’m worried about you. Ever since we came to Korriban, you’ve been a little different. You’ve been so focused on your goal to redeem Vestara that you’re shutting all of us out. You’re making… questionable decisions over the last couple of days, including saving a creature that literally _feeds_ off of the Dark Side. You also went off on your own to face Vestara, and you did what only Force-knows-what to her. What’s going on? Is… is Sidious coming to you in your dreams?” Adari both hesitatingly and apprehensively said as she stopped speaking.

 

“No.” Edaan honestly said, before fully realizing what Adari was getting at, and gently said, “Oh… Adari, I am so sorry for not being there for you while we’re on what may be a suicide mission. I’ve been so focused on saving Vestara and the big picture that I’ve forgotten about all of the people that helped make my dream so close to come true, especially you.” He then pulled in his Keshiri wife for a long and passionate kiss that she eagerly reciprocated, sighing as she melted into the kiss that lasted a full twenty seconds before the couple stopped to breathe in much-needed oxygen.

 

Edaan then continued, saying, “Listen, can I tell you something? Something that I’ve never told anyone else?” After receiving a nod of consent from Adari, he continued, gently speaking as he said, “After I found out that Vestara had left the Jedi Order and returned to the Dark Side in the aftermath of the Lost Tribe of the Sith’s emergence, as well as finding out that my family was killed by Abeloth’s insanity, I contemplated committing suicide because I had no one that I could relate to. Even after I met my five true masters, I couldn’t slip the despair that had gripped my heart. But, when I was at my lowest point, I received a vision in the Force.”

 

Adari couldn’t believe that her beloved husband had suffered so much due to the loss of his loved ones. She was also interested by in what he saw in his vision, but knew that he had to speak of this of his own free will, and let him continue speaking.

 

“In that vision, I saw myself leading great armies against the Sith on this planet, and I saw Robonino, Akku, Jarael, Atai, Artoo, and Vua as my loyal allies and friends. But, most importantly, I saw _you_ , my love, on the planet Kesh, leading your people to freedom against their subjugation by the Lost Tribe. And in that instant, I fell in love with you, and found two reasons to live: to save Vestara from her own darkness, and to find you and marry you so that you could be my moral anchor, as I sensed the burning light inside of your soul, and it would guide me in my darkest hours.”

 

“Well, at least I know that I’m wanted.” Adari sarcastically said as a bright smile covered her face, before she continued, saying, “So, have you made any progress in the first objective, as you’ve already achieved the second goal?”

 

“Actually, yes, beloved. During the skirmish in Dreshdae, I implanted a portion of my essence inside of her so that she could experience all of my memories, as well as have visits from Qui-Gon, Tau, Revan, Meetra, and Jacen, which is all a part of my plan to bring her back over to our side.” Edaan explained.

 

Her husband’s response caused Adari to gasp in shock before she said, “Edaan! Are you crazy?!? Transferring some of your life essence into someone is extremely dangerous, as doing it too much can kill you, and you just did it on Butch in order to cause him to defect over to our team, so you’ve already done it twice in one day.”

 

“I know, but it will all be worth it once we save Vestara and destroy the Sith and their minions, and _finally_ bring peace back to the galaxy.” Edaan fervently said, worrying Adari, as she had almost never seen him this obsessed with his goal. Sensing her worry, Edaan quickly calmed her down by saying, “I’m sorry, dearest, but, like Durron Qel-Droma during the Great Hunt after the First Sith War, I am tired of all of the killing and destruction that I’ve had to commit in order to achieve my lifelong goals, and I just want it all to end, as it’s consumed so much of my life.”

 

“Oh, Edaan.” Adari tenderly said as she kissed her husband’s cheek and gave him a passionate hug, and then pledged, “I am so, _so_ sorry. I had no idea that you were suffering so much from all of the darkness that has infected most of the galaxy. But, I promise that I will do the best I can to alleviate the suffering and pain that you are going through right now until we win this kriffing shadow war.”

 

“Thank you, my love. Your support has been a lifeline for me, as your light has kept me from going into the dark ever since I saw you in my vision.” Edaan said, relieved that his great wife understood the burden that he was under, and would support him the best that she could.

 

Unfortunately, the two lovebirds were so caught up in each other’s presence that they failed to notice a Sith probe droid that was modeled very similarly to the Dark Eye probe droids that Darth Maul used to track down Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi on the planet Tatooine during the Invasion of Naboo almost eighty-nine years ago.

 

_Meanwhile, Deep Within the Catacombs of Korriban_

 

As Darth Kitai was watching the security footage from Probe 185, she could not believe what Edaan Palpatine was saying to his wife, the Keshiri resistance leader, Teras Kasi master, and who also was one of Kitai’s three personal enemies during her rule as Grand Lady of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, Adari Thayn Palpatine. Here this young Jedi was, bearing his burdens, as well as his heart and soul out to his wife that he loved so dearly, and Kitai was merely sitting there speechless, watching it all as conflicting feelings, such as sympathy, pity, and sadness, threatened to bubble to the surface, which her oldest remaining friend, the Sith Meditation Sphere known simply as “Ship”, who Kitai just happened to be sitting in as she observed the images and voices being transmitted to the sentient Sith Meditation Sphere, was quick to pick up on, and telepathically said, _What is it that troubles you, Lady Kitai?_

 

 

“Those young Jedi’s words… they pierce my heart and tug at emotions that I thought that I had long ago suppressed or destroyed. I’ve been feeling… different ever since Edaan mentally assaulted me.” Kitai confessed to her longtime companion.

 

 _Perhaps you should inform Lord Krayt of this development. He might be able to assist you in your efforts in repairing the damage to your spirit that the young Jedi Knight, Edaan Palpatine, has inflicted on to you._ Ship suggested, earning a fervent headshake from Kitai.

 

“No, Ship. If Lord Krayt finds out about this, then my rank in the One Sith may be fatally compromised, and I cannot be driven out of another Sith order. What I need is to confront Edaan again, and find out just what it is that he did to me, and get him to undo it.” Kitai said, her trademark resolve returning again.

 

 _Well, whatever the problem might be, I know that you will figure it out, as your faith in the Dark Side has never been stronger than ever._ Ship assured his longtime comrade.

 

 _Let’s hope so._ Kitai grimly thought as she continued to watch the young Jedi and his wife as they went back over to their companions, including a tuk’ata that they had, beyond all logic and reason, managed to recruit over to their mad quest.

 

_Back on the Surface of Korriban_

 

“So, did the two of you work out your issues, boss, or should you two get a room?” Robonino humorously asked the wedded couple.

 

“Ha, ha. Very funny, Robo.” Adari deadpanned said as she let go of Edaan’s hand and checked her blaster rifle before continuing, reassuringly saying, “We’re fine, we just had to talk things out for a bit, but we’re good now.”

 

“Excellent. So, can we head into the dark and dangerous Tomb of Tulak Hord, while being led by a defecting Sith hound, into the ultimate den of evil?” Sabine said, with false optimism lacing her voice, as she began to issue orders to her men through her Nite Owls helmet’s built-in comlink.

 

“Wait. I think that we’d better camp here for the night, as we don’t know what dangers await us once we enter the catacombs, and we’ll need everyone at full strength before we enter the Krayt Dragon’s nest.” Akku suggested, earning a few approving nods from Robonino, Edaan, and Zeb.

 

“Sounds good to me. I could use a little shut-eye, as I am not as young as I used to be.” Zeb said in agreement with the Anzati Mandalorian, and, after receiving an approving nod from his fellow Lothal Rebel, he began to issue orders to his men to set up camp until the next day, with Sabine and Edaan issuing orders to their friends and comrades in order to help Zeb create a makeshift camp for the small army for the rest of the day.

 

**And, cut! Well, that ends another filler chapter for my story, but an important chapter, as it will lay the groundwork for big plot lines in the future in this story. So, did you guys watch FX last night, as the premiere of the hit movie, _Transformers: Age of Extinction_ , was on at 8:00 p.m., and it was (in my opinion) amazing, easily the best movie out of all four _Transformers_ movies that Michael Bay had produced so far. Anyway, I have read over 230 pages in the book,  Star Wars: Catalyst: A Rogue One Story, so far, and I have to say that it is pretty good. It may not the best Star Wars story that’s out there, nor is it James Luceno’s best work, but it’s pretty decent, and a good prequel for _Rogue One_ , which I have to see tomorrow night with my brother. Anyway, the holidays are fast approaching, and I can’t wait for them, as I will enjoy seeing my uncle come down from New England, since I rarely get to see him. It’s too bad that I can’t see my grandparents down in Florida, but, then again, sometimes life throws a curveball at you sometimes. By the way, like I predicted at the beginning at this chapter, this story has exceeded 55,000 words, which is quite the accomplishment for a novice writer such as myself. Anyway, May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	15. Chapter 14

**Hello, all of you Star Wars Expanded Universe devotees! How are you doing on this chilly day of December 15, 2016? I could be better, because in less than four hours, I have to see _Rogue One: A Star Wars Story_ with my brother, and I will not like how it desecrates the Expanded Universe. But, perhaps, with a lot, of tweaking, I can integrate it (or, at least, a good portion of it) into my head canon so that the efforts of Rogue One are an effort to capture or assassinate Orson Krennic in order to try and prevent the First Galactic Empire from catching on to the Alliance to Restore the Republic’s efforts to get the plans for the First Death Star, and everyone in the team of Rogue One, along with their ally, Saw Gerrera, and Orson Krennic, dies as a result of the mission. Oh, and, speaking of Rogue One, I have finished the last pages of  Star Wars: Catalyst: A Rogue One Story today, and I’d have to give the book 3.5 out of 5 five stars, as it was an overall decent book. By the way, hopefully, once this chapter is done, I will, hopefully, have written over sixty thousand words for this story. Oh, and Christmas is only ten days away, and I, unfortunately, have to go to a midnight mass due to my sister wanting to try it out for the first time, which is inconvenient for me, as I wanted to get a good night’s sleep the night before, which is also when Hanukah begins for a lot of people. Well, as the song says, you can’t always get what you want. Well, with all of the small talk out of the way, I’d better get on with the story, as I want to continue the glorious Expanded Universe, which is, at least, in my opinion, at least ten times better than the direction that the new canon is going in.**

**(December 16, 2016 Addendum.) Hey, guys. How are you doing on a very, very chilly Friday of December 16, 2016? I am fine and, thankfully, very warm, which is a good thing right now, as I recently got home from volunteering outside at my local help center for almost four hours today in below freezing temperatures. Anyway, I saw _Rogue One_ last night with my brother, and I have to say that it was much better than Episode VII: The Force Awakens, but I still prefer Operation: Skyhook and the Expanded Universe over the new canon. By the way, word of advice, if you’re going to see Rogue One, than you’d better be prepared for a lot of previews, as there are at least five of them in the Regal Theater that I went to. Well, let’s get back to the story.**

**(December 17, 2016 Addendum.) Hello, everyone. I have some good news for all of you. Three of my favorite fanfictions, _Rajmael of Clan Lavellan_ , A Fate Unseen: Legacy of the Jedi: Side A, and _The choices we make_ , were updated today at various times. I implore each of you to check them out, as they are (without giving away any spoilers) very amazing, intriguing, and engaging chapters, to put it lightly.**

_Day 81 Since the Shadow Alliance’s Formation_

_Forty-Eight days Until Operation: Endgame_

_On the Planet Korriban, In the Valley of the Dark Lords_

_0.3 Kilometers near the tomb of Tulak Hord_

_0330 Hours_

 

After a six-hour rest, Edaan and Adari Thayn Palpatine, along with Vua Rapuung, Akku Sei II, twenty Mandalorians and twenty Lasats, and the tuk’ata Butch, were taking part in the second watch for the makeshift camp of the Shadow Alliance’s impromptu strike force while the others rested, or in the case of Chopper, shut down in order to preserve power for the upcoming trek in the mysterious, and potentially very lethal, tomb of the long dead Sith Lord Tulak Hord. It was when Edaan was using his pair of macrobinoculars to scan the area for any potential enemies that he heard a whisper from a very familiar voice that said, “ _Edaan._ ”

 

Immediately recognizing the foul voice who spoke to him, Edaan quickly put away the macrobinoculars, and he pulled out his lightsaber and, sensing that the Force Ghost was ten degrees to the right, pointed his lightsaber in that direction. Adari, who, being moderately force-sensitive, also sensed the voice, pulled out a blaster, set it to kill, and pointed it in the same direction that Edaan pointed his lightsaber, and venomously whispered to her husband, “Edaan? Is it _him_?”

 

Grimly nodding at his wife, Edaan’s grip on his personal weapon intensified as dark shadows coalesced together to form the specter of Edaan’s long-dead ancestor, Emperor Palpatine, better known to the Jedi Order and the wider galaxy as the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.

 

“It has been some time, my descendent.” Sidious growled out from his yellowed teeth.

 

“Not long enough, _Sidious_.” Edaan rebutted, not willing to show any fear to the person that he feared above all others.

 

“I knew that you would make your way here eventually, Edaan.” Sidious said in a praising tone, before he continued, “You were always stronger than any other Jedi that I had met, even stronger than the coward that was Anakin Skywalker.”

 

“Well, Sheev, that’s high praise from a man who betrayed every one of his apprentice’s in order to get the power and immortality that was always out of your reach, even after three clones of you took your place after Vader atoned for his failures at the Battle of Endor after all of those years ago.” Edaan mockingly scathed his great-great-grandfather, knowing that Palpatine hated being called by his first name by all but a handful of people that were close to him, all the while preparing to shield himself and Adari from whatever assault that Palpatine would inevitably throw upon the couple.

 

Instead of Sidious going into a murderous rampage like Edaan thought would happen, the deceased Sith Lord simply smirked at his great-great-grandson as Jaden Korr rushed to Edaan and Adari’s side, and then said, “You can deny the truth all that you want, Edaan Palpatine, but I am a part of you, and I will always be there when you least expect it. And, when you finally break and fall to the Dark Side, I will forge you into an instrument of my will in order to rain death and destruction on all of my enemies, starting with Luke Skywalker and his inferior kin and fellow Jedi, then the pathetic One Sith and their armies that should have been mine to command, and ending with the so-called Galactic Alliance that has polluted the galaxy that I was destined to rule, and the Fel Empire that has, under the wretched Jagged and Jaina Solo Fel, strayed from the Dark Side of the Force.”

 

“That’s not going to happen, Sheev.” Adari venomously said as she followed Edaan’s lead, insulting Sidious into making a mistake that would cost him this distraction from their true objective. “Edaan is the most honorable Jedi and person that I know, and he would never stoop to your level, as he has the purest heart of all.” she continued to insist at the ghost of her husband’s great-great-grandfather, who began to tremble as a cold and calculating rage began to seep through his entire ethereal being.

 

“I can second that, Palpatine.” Jaden said, earning a grateful nod from Edaan, and the former then said, slowly becoming more emotional as he spoke, “If anyone here is pathetic, Sheev, it’s you. You had a chance to do so much good with your gifts in politics and the Force, but instead, you used them to satisfy your own ego and massacre billions, maybe _trillions_ , of innocent lives over fifty-five years, going all the way from the Stark Hyperspace War to Operation Shadow Hand!” After taking a few calming breaths, he ended by saying, “And now look at you. You’re just a parasite that’s clinging to life on this barren wasteland.”

 

Instead of going into a murderous rampage like the three warriors expected, the deceased Sith Lord maniacally cackled for a full minute, causing six Mandalorians, eight Lasats, Butch, Vua, Akku, and a newly awakened Sabine, Seelah, Saraai, and Zeb, who were woken up due to Palpatine’s deranged laughter, and everyone quickly adopted a shocked expression on each of their faces as they had their blasters drawn, or, in Sabine’s case, the Darksaber.

 

After Palpatine’s laughter slowly died down, he said, “Is that what you think of me? A measly parasite that is stuck on this world? Foolish, naïve Jedi. No, I was called back from Chaos itself by Edaan’s own fear and anger from when he was but a child, and have been influencing him ever since to become my apprentice and honor his true legacy.”

 

A wave of horror and shock came over Jaden, the seven Mandalorians, nine Lasats, and two ex-Lost Tribe Sith as this revelation was made known to all of them. Adari, Vua, and Akku, already knowing the secret, simply sighed, and the former despondently said, “Well, it couldn’t have stayed a secret forever.”

 

“Wait. You all knew about this?” Zeb growled out as he leveled his Bo-Rifle at Edaan, with the rest of the Lasats and Mandalorians, except for Sabine, who kept a narrowed and betrayed set of eyes on Edaan as she kept the Darksaber leveled at Sidious.

 

“Unfortunately, yes, we did, Zeb. But, in his defense, we all thought that you all would have gone insane and tried to kill us if we said, ‘Hey, Emperor Palpatine’s long-thought gone ghost is trying to manipulate his great-great-grandson into becoming the next Darth Sidious.’” Akku said in order to try and placate the irate Lasat supreme commander.

 

“Anyone else want to come up and confess their knowledge of Edaan’s darkest secret?” Zeb angrily asked, not put at ease in the slightest by the Anzati’s explanation.

 

“Every one of us in Edaan’s crew knew about his secret shame, as well as Armand Vorn, as the eight of us were with Edaan after his severe meltdown on the Holonet before the Defense of Mandalore, and he mentioned that the specter of Darth Sidious was haunting him.” Vua said in his classic calm tone.

 

“And you’re all okay with this?” Zeb incredulously asked, shocked that no one was taking this threat seriously.

 

“Not especially, Zeb. But, Edaan’s proven himself time after time again in fighting the good fight and serving the Light Side of the Force, so I’m willing to let Edaan explain himself before rushing to any rash judgment.” Jaden honestly said.

 

Immediately after saying those words, he realized just what game that Sidious was playing with the strike force. “That’s it.” He whispered, mostly to himself.

 

However, Edaan and Adari overheard him, and they, not understanding what Jaden was getting at, and they simultaneously asked him, “What’s it, Jaden?”

 

“Edaan, your ancestor is trying to play us against each other! He wants us to turn against you so that you’re more susceptible to the pull of the Dark Side, and become his servant. And, the reason that he’s here in spectral form right now is because of your fears and doubts, which give Sheev the strength to appear to you in your dreams, and since we’re on a Dark Side-infested planet, he’s only stronger, but only if there’s any doubt in your mind.” Jaden explained to Edaan, whose eyes widened at Jaden’s realization as the pieces clicked together in his mind.

 

“Yes… Yes, that makes sense! It’s just like the Nightsister Lomi Plo’s ability to cloak herself from anyone’s senses if there’s any doubt in their mind.” Edaan said in agreement, referring to the Nightsister that was, in addition to her fellow Dathomiri, Welk, and the unsuspecting Jedi Knight Raynar Thul, responsible for the Killik’s expansion, which later caused Dark Nest Crisis and the Swarm War that followed in the years before the Second Galactic Civil War.

 

“Exactly, Edaan. He’s only as strong as you let him be, so dispel all doubt from your mind, and will him away.” Jaden said in concurrence.

 

As soon as those words were said, Edaan searched deep inside himself to eradicate any shred of doubt that existed within his soul, and, for what seemed to drag on for eternity, he replaced all of it with a fierce determination to succeed in all of his goals, ranging from stopping and destroying the Sith once and for all, to redeeming Vestara from her own darkness, getting Vestara and Ben back together, and, last but not least, his secret dream of settling down with Adari on Kesh, and the two of them adopting a child together, where they can live in peace after serving the galaxy for what seemed like an eternity for the junior Jedi Knight. Once his determination was fully in root, he faced Sheev Palpatine and said, “You have no power over me, servant of the Dark Side. BEGONE!!!” With those last words said, He began to create a Wall of Light around the deceased Dark Lord of the Sith, and, with Jaden, Adari, Seelah, and Saarai quickly adding their strength to his, and, soon enough, Darth Sidious was banished back in to the pit of Chaos from whence he came.

 

Right after Edaan finished banishing his ancestor back to Chaos, he fell to his knees and began to spit up several ounces of blood, with Adari, Jaden, Butch, and Sabine coming to his side, with the latter injecting him with a stimulant in order to increase blood-replication so he could replace any lost blood, while Jaden and Adari managed to carry Edaan onto Butch, who quickly moved to the camp, where Dinua and Jarael were in order to fully examine him.

 

_Twenty Minutes Later_

 

After eighteen minutes of retching up blood and guts, Edaan was finally asleep, and he was sleeping as soundly as a newborn, while Jarael was observing his vital signs with a portable med kit.

 

As the Iskalloni medic kept an eye on her friend and leader, and Adari and Butch were by Edaan’s side as he rested, Zeb was busy ranting and raving about how he, Sabine, Chopper, and all of the men under each of their commands, were kept out of the loop with vital intelligence, with Jaden and the rest of Edaan’s crew were defending Edaan’s decision to keep this a closely kept secret.

 

“If we had revealed that Edaan was haunted by the specter of his long-dead great-great-grandfather, then it would have torn the chain of command apart because no one would have trusted him to make snap decisions.” Akku said in an attempt to put the minds of his fellow Mandalorians at ease, which proved mostly ineffective in calming his people, and it made the Lasats even angrier than they already were, as several of them growled in rage.

 

“Maybe, but you should have at least told Sabine, Zeb, Chopper, Dinua, and me about this development, as we’ve seen _a lot_ of crazy things in our time, and we might have surprised you.” Mirta Gev said, not fully satisfied with the response given by her fellow Mandalorian, but understanding their reasoning, which earned a slight glare from her superior, Sabine.

 

“Hey! The boss was struggling with his inner demons for years before he came across all of us, and because of the friendships that he made in the seven of us, he’s become a great man, Jedi, and leader as a result of meeting us, especially Adari.” Robonino said in defense of his longtime friend and comrade.

 

“You’ve only got to look after yourself, bounty hunter. Sabine and I have a lot of people under our command that we have to look after.” Zeb snarled out before he was elbowed by Sabine in the stomach, who then, along with Mirta and Dinua, glared at him before he remembered that before she became a member of the Rebel Alliance, she was a bounty hunter alongside her fellow imperial cadet, Ketsu Onyo before their partnership fell apart.

 

“Well, it looks like Sabine and her comrades are angry with you, Zeb. Which is understandable, considering that most, if not all, Mandalorians are bounty hunters. ” Vua said with a small smile across his face.

 

“What do you know about it, Vong? You probably killed millions of innocent people during your people’s conquest of the galaxy, before you were beaten back and exiled to Zonama Sekot in the Unknown Regions.” Zeb vehemently growled out, shocking the young gladiator and everyone present.

 

“Hey! Leave Vua out of this, Zeb. He was just a Shamed One and refugee leader for his people before he met Edaan, and he gave him a truly righteous purpose.” Akku said with a very high amount of anger in his voice, surprising everyone present, especially the Mandalorian commanders, who never saw Akku get so riled up over anything.

 

“He’s right, Zeb.” Dinua said, before continuing, saying, “I spoke with my adopted _buir_ , Goran Beviin, after the Defense of Mandalore, and he bonded very well with Vua, who he considered to be a true friend in this messed-up galaxy. And, if a Mandalorian who hated the Yuuzhan Vong can befriend one of them, then you can trust Edaan to do what’s right, even if he is a Palpatine.”

 

“Zeb, look. I’m not very fond of this anymore than you are, but we’re here now, and there’s no going back now, so we have to put our trust in Edaan, and his friends if he ever goes off the deep end. After all, we put our trust in Kanan and Hera so many times during our time with Phoenix Squadron and several other rebel cells, and it always paid off. Besides, I’ve kept a close eye on Edaan ever since I met him, and he’s very little like Ezra Bridger, other than losing his parents and loved ones due to the forces of the Dark Side.” Sabine sympathetically said to her longtime comrade and friend.

 

“That may be, Sabine, but I still have my reservations regarding this blind trust in Edaan.” Zeb said, agreeing with his friend, but he was still unwilling to give up his stance on the matter. However, he sighed and said, “But, he did earn a few points with me when he went to comfort you during our small skirmish in _The Drunk Side II_.”

 

“Zeb!” Sabine exasperatingly said as Dinua, Mirta, Chopper, and the rest of Edaan’s crew, minus Robonino, as he already knew about Edaan hugging Sabine, began cracking up upon realizing that Sabine, a grizzled and hardened veteran of many campaigns, needed a hug from a twenty year-old Jedi Knight.

 

“Heh. Sorry, Sabine.” Zeb apologetically said as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

 

“Well, now that we’ve gotten that little quarrel solved, let’s let my husband get some rest, as he’s pretty drained from channeling all of that Force energy in banishing his ancestor.” Adari said as she and Butch walked over to the laughing group of friends.

 

“Fine.” Zeb sadly said, before he said in a foreboding tone, “But, I plan to have a few words with Edaan when he recovers from this little episode.”

 

“Fair enough.” Adari conceded to the one hundred year-old Lasat supreme commander before she and the large tuk’ata walked back to where Edaan was being attended to by Doctor Chantique.

 

While the two of them were walking, she was accompanied by Sabine, who smiled at Butch, who nodded at Sabine being courteous. While they walked to Edaan, Sabine, who had then put back on her Nite Owls helmet, overheard a familiar variant of droidspeak, and she shouted as loud as she could through her helmet’s speakers, “PROBE DROID!” She activated her jetpack, and flew over to where the dark probe droid was hovering, pulled out her WESTAR-35 blaster pistols, and blasted at the dark probe droid that began to flee the area. However, it was quickly caught in Force Stasis by Jaden Korr, who then pulled the droid over his way, and then sliced it in two with his lightsaber.

 

_Ten Minutes Later_

“So, how long has that droid been watching us for?” Akku asked Sabine, Robonino, and Chopper as they finished decrypting the droid’s data files.

 

“Well, I’d have to say at least since we arrived near Tulak Hord’s tomb.” Robonino said as he analyzed the data on his datapad.

 

“I’d have to agree, Robo. Thankfully, we didn’t give away any of our plans for the penetration of the catacombs, as that could have destroyed our plans. But, they did see us with Butch, so they’ll be on their guard, now that we know that we have a guide.” Sabine gravely said in concurrence.

 

“Well, this mission just keeps getting better and better.” Zeb sarcastically said, earning a warble of approval from Chopper.

 

_Meanwhile, In the Catacombs_

 

Darth Malleus, as well as Darth Sedriss, were exhilarated, which was very rare for the aged Sith Lords, as they heard the news that Darth Kitai delivered to them: The Jedi, along with their wretched ex-Lost Tribe of the Sith, Mandalorian, and Lasat allies, would soon enter the Tomb of Tulak Hord, and enter the catacombs, where they could, minus the leaders of this intrusion upon Sith holy ground, be picked off one by one. What baffled him most though, was that according to the reports, a tuk’ata, of all things, was going to lead them through the tombs. It infuriated them that a Jedi would have the audacity to corrupt one of Korriban’s most noble beasts.

 

“You have done well, Kitai. I think that it is time that we give our special prisoner a false sense of hope before we utterly crush it.” Malleus sadistically said, earning an evil chuckle from Sedriss, but a look of slight conflict in Kitai’s eyes upon seeing the madness on each of their faces as they headed to the prison, where, upon passing various criminals, children and civilians that were in the process of being broken in order to serve the One Sith, they came upon the most secure prison of all, where the three Sith Lords entered after confirming their identity to the six Sith guards, they came upon a certain grey-haired Jedi Master that had light skin, brown eyes, and two Aurebesh symbols of the number “One” etched on his left temple.

 

“Telloti Cillmam’n. Sidirri. Vestara Khai. To what do I owe the unexpected pleasure of this visit from three high and mighty Sith Lords?” The prisoner sarcastically said as he referred to each of the Sith Lords by their birth names.

 

“You’re about to have some new cellmates, X2.” Malleus maliciously said.

 

“You mean Jaden Korr and the other fellow Jedi that are on my way to end your reign of destruction and save all of your prisoners, traitor? Good luck trying to imprison them.” X2 said, his voice full of determination as he spoke.

 

“You overestimate your fellow Jedi, _clone_.” Sedriss said, her voice full of venom as she spoke that last word, before calming down, and she said, “I’d prepare yourself for your guests, as one of them includes one ‘Edaan Palpatine.’”

 

That last word spoken by Sedriss caused X2’s eyes to shoot up in shock, and he said in denial, “I don’t believe you. The Palpatine line died with Darth Sidious on Onderon.”

 

“Unfortunately, he’s real, X2. He’s the great-great-grandson of Sidious, and he’s been quite a thorn in our side for the last few years.” Kitai said, further surprising the last surviving clone of Jedi Knight Falon Grey.

 

“Why would you tell me this, Vestara?” X2 skeptically asked the Sith Lady.

 

“Maybe because I want to see the last glimmer of hope in you die out, and you can follow your brother’s footsteps and become a follower of the Dark Side.” Kitai angrily said as she avoided the glares of Malleus and Sedriss while she left the cell, with Malleus and Sedriss close behind her, leaving the Jedi Master alone with his thoughts as he contemplated this revelation of an actual descendant of Emperor Palpatine serving the Jedi Order, as well as Vestara deciding to share this information with him, and what it meant for her as a person, and whether or not she could come over to the Light Side of the Force.

 

**Well, today is December 19, 2016, and that ends what might be my last chapter before the holidays roll around. So, tell me what do you think of this chapter, ranging from Edaan’s battle with his ancestor, and the revelations of who the One Sith’s special prisoner is, the legendary Jedi Master X2, from the video game, _Star Wars: Battlefront: Elite Squadron_ , to who Darths Malleus and Sedriss are, the Jedi Service Corps member Telloti Cillmam’n and Jedi Youngling Sidirri, to the stage being set for future challenges for our young protagonist, as I value your input. By the way, I decided to use Palpatine’s given name into a type of insult, as in the original Expanded Universe, his first name wasn’t given because he wanted to keep it a secret, and only a few people call him by that name, so it can be considered an insult if other people call him by that name. Well, we’ve set the stage for the strike force’s entry into the catacombs, and from there, things will get exciting. I hope that you’re all with me for the ride, as it will be well worth the wait. Oh, and, before I forget, this isn’t the last that you’ve seen of Emperor Palpatine, that I promise you. One more thing, I realize that my story hasn’t reached sixty thousand words by now, but I sure am close. Have a Happy Holidays for whatever you celebrate, May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe! **


	16. Chapter 15

**Good tidings to all of you Star Wars Expanded Universe devotees. How are you doing on this fine December 20, 2016? I am well, as I had a delicious lunch at Costco a couple of hours ago, which was comprised of a slice of cheese pizza with a lot of crushed red pepper on it, and a frozen yogurt that I drank, and now I am back to doing one of the things that I do best: writing Star Wars Expanded Universe stories. So, how have you enjoyed my stories, so far, and be honest? It's hard to believe that my winter break is already over a third of the way over, and that Christmas is only five days away. If you ask me, it's unfair, and pretty ridiculous, that time passes so quickly for most people these days. I wish that time would just slow down, as I am getting older every day (well, not that older, but I am getting close to twenty-two years old, with two months and eight days away from that birthday). By the way, my brother, who is home for his holiday break, has three of his friends over, and I wish that I could socialize with them. But, alas, I must leave them alone, as my brother wants to spend time with them, and I must respect his wishes. Hey, I just realized that by the time that I finish this paragraph, I will likely have reached sixty thousand words in just over two months! I don't know about you, but, for me, that is quite an accomplishment. Anyway, what are you guys going to do for Christmas, if you celebrate it, that is? I am going to celebrate it with my family, along with a cousin and two of my mother's brothers who are coming down for the holidays, and it will be a very splendid time. Oh, and, before I forget, I wanted to appraise you guys on my reading progress. Yesterday, I finished a book written by the legendary, and very revered Billy Graham in 2011 (and may he peacefully pass away when God calls him home), and now, I have started the book that is titled Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army, and I am enjoying it so far. By the way, are you guys excited for the return of Saw Gererra in _Star Wars: Rebels_ Season Three in eighteen days, because I know that I am? One more thing, I expect this story, as well as the last one, to be much longer than my previous story, _Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War II: Armageddon_. Anyway, with all of the small talk out of the way, let's get on with the story, where the action and main plot can finally resume.**

**(December 21, 2016 Addendum.) Hey, everyone. I just wanted to take a little time to thank Powerslammer for writing those two good and honest reviews about my story that I've written so far, as it really means a lot that a person that I consider to be a good friend of mine to read and critique the works that I've created. And, I wanted to tell you guys that I've just gotten a remarkable early birthday gift (emphasis on the "early") from my mother in the form of _The Witcher III: Wild Hunt: Complete Edition_ , and I have every intention to start playing it tomorrow, so this chapter might come out later than expected. Anyway, enjoy your holidays, because I know that I will.**

_0 Kilometers From the Tomb of Tulak Hord_

_1030 Hours_

"All right. We all know the stakes of this mission, but let me remind you one more time." Before he began, he took a deep breath, and trusted in the Force to guide him to motivate his comrades to victory, "We are about to enter the true domain of evil, and we've got no backup or support coming our way. Our mission will determine the success of this mission, as we must eliminate as many members of the One Sith and their lackeys as we can before we're caught. But leave Ves-" Edaan caught himself as he corrected himself for the sake of his friends, and said, "I mean, Darth Kitai alone, as I still have a use for her." Everyone simply either snickered or rolled his or her eyes in response to this correction, as they knew that Edaan's main reason for being here was to redeem Vestara Khai in order to bring her back to the love of her life, Jedi Master Ben Skywalker.

"But, this is the operation that each and every one of you has trained for, because you are the best among your people, selected for this mission because of your unique skillsets, and your dedication towards the greater good. Now, I know that you have a few legitimate reasons to not fully trust me, if you do at all." Edaan sheepishly said, before he continued, passionately saying, "But, if you can't trust me, then trust your teammates and leaders, as they will guide you through this mission. And together, we will get out of this suicide mission alive, and be remembered as the group that precipitated the final fall of the Sith and their lackeys!" As soon as Edaan finished his questionable speech, the thirty-seven Mandalorians, twenty-four Lost Tribe of the Sith Deserters, fifty-three Lasat infiltrators, Jaden Korr, Jarael Chantique, Akku Sei II, Adari Thayn Palpatine, Vua Rapuung, and Robonino cheered at the proclamation, while Chopper's head rotated around as the astromech droid's manipulator arms were raised into the air and he cheered in droidspeak, and the tuk'ata that Edaan named Butch.

As soon as the cheering subsided, Sabine and Zeb came up to Edaan, where the latter two reached a mutual understanding after Edaan's six-hour rest, and the former said, "Mandalorians, we are among the best of our people, and we have been given a chance to live on forever in history and glory! Will you follow us?" The thirty-six other Mandalorians shouted " _ELEK_!", earning a nod of approval from the commander of Vindicator Brigade.

Zeb, following his longtime comrade's lead, and bellowed, "Fellow Lasats, we have a chance to be a part of something great once again, and we can only do it as we did against the First Galactic Empire, by working together with the followers of Ahsla." Zeb paused for a moment after catching his people's attention by calling the Jedi and their allies the followers of what the Lasat species called the Force, before he continued, speaking with confidence as he said, "This is a mission that is suited for the best among the Lasat Honor Guard, and we are more than up for the challenge of a few Sith and their ragtag army. ARE YOU WITH ME?!" The fifty-two remaining Lasats roared their approval and willingness to follow their leader into the Void itself, if need be.

"Then follow us as we enter the heart of darkness!" Edaan beckoned for each member of the one-hundred-and-twenty-four man team to follow him and Butch as the two of them entered the Tomb of Tulak Hord, ready for whatever challenges awaited the strike force.

_Meanwhile, Deep Within the Planet's Catacombs_

"Can you feel it, Wyyrlok?" Darth Krayt said to his right-hand as he sat in his throne, and was nearing a full recovery from the twelve years of residing in his personal suspended animation chamber, before he continued, saying, "Edaan Palpatine and his allies are on the move, and they've finally entered one of our secret entrances to the catacombs through the tomb of Tulak Hord."

"I feel it very strongly, my lord." Wyyrlok replied before he continued by asking, "Shall I send our vanguard forces to 'greet' them and probe their strength?"

"No. We must conserve our strength for the siege that will come once the Shadow Alliance comes to Korriban. For now, send White Eyes, Morto, Darth Snoke, as well as their armies of beasts, and Darths Mallues, Sedriss, and Kitai to whittle away at the Lasats and Mandalorians, but, tell them to leave the leaders of the respective groups, Mirta Gev, Dinua Jeban, Edaan and his crew, Jaden Korr, and as many of our wayward brothers and sisters as we can spare alive, as I have a better use for them." Krayt quickly replied, earning a nod of deference from his second-in-command.

"Ah. I see. You wish to turn them to the Dark Side and lead our remaining forces to victory against the Jedi and their allies." Wyyrlok knowingly said, earning an approving nod from his master before he continued, cautiously saying, "But, are you sure that it is wise to send Kitai to face Edaan and his comrades again, as Ship, without her knowing it, informed me of a change within her after she faced Edaan in Dreshdae?"

"Which is why she will want to capture Edaan, in order to discover what this change is, and how to best eradicate it before it becomes a threat to my plans." Krayt confidently replied as he stood up from his throne, and beckoned for Wyyrlok to follow him, as he, with uncharacteristic smugness, said, " And speaking of my plans, I recently realized how we can undermine the Shadow Alliance from within. Prepare the cloning facilities for a _very special_ Iteration."

"An Iteration, but… Oh." Wyyrlok puzzlingly said before he realized just what his master was referring to, and then dutifully said, "It will be done at once, my lord. I will personally supervise Doctor Nala Se and her retinue of 'doctors', as they prepare the cloning facilities to meet your demand."

"Good. One last thing. Do we have a casualties report for the skirmish at Dreshdae?"

"Yes, my lord. Remarkably, our casualties were relatively light, despite the explosions that the Shadow Alliance placed all over the city, with only five hundred and seventy-six dead, and twice that number wounded. Unfortunately, the armory was significantly damaged, and half of the planetary turbolasers were sabotaged beyond repair."

"Regrettable, but not impossible to compensate for. Have our slaver and corporate allies deliver another shipment of the latest weapons that they can acquire before the month ends. Now, if there's nothing else, I must prepare our forces for the Siege of Korriban." Krayt said in a tone that would brook no argument from his subordinate as he headed towards the chamber where the One Sith's secret weapons were being developed with assistance by the renegade Doctor Aphra and her two murderous assassin droids.

_Twenty Minutes Later, Within the Tomb of Tulak Hord_

"Man. Things are just too quiet in here for my tastes, and that's really saying something, since I prefer things to be loud and noisy." Robonino quietly complained to no one in particular as the teams slowly moved through the ancient and decrepit Sith tomb. Every room that the strike team went through, there was no evidence of occupation by the One Sith, as every nook and cranny, as well as any valuable artifacts, appeared to be looted or destroyed by the Jedi and scavengers.

Also, despite the overwhelming temptation by Robonino, the majority of the Mandalorians, as well as the deserters of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, they resisted the urge to loot any corpses or containers for any useful materials, as they knew that any kind of desecration on their part would arouse and anger the residual dark side spirits that inhabit the planet, which was a small break for the Shadow Alliance's forces, as Butch was always on edge ever since they entered the tomb, which, respectively, put the rest of the strike force on alert.

"Yeah, yeah, Robo. We all know that you like things loud and wild." Adari sarcastically said as the Keshiri, in her Mandalorian armor, had her helmet's HUD on as she scanned the area with Sabine, Mirta, and Dinua, while Edaan, Jaden, and the ex-Sith, with their lightsabers ignited to provide another source of light for the strike force, probed their forward position with the Force, their connection to the Force muddled by the immense potency of the Dark Side, but it also shielded their presence from the majority of the wildlife of Korriban.

Several seconds later, Butch stopped walking, and began growling at the dark at a thirty-degree angle to the right, causing everyone to take out their weapons and point them in the direction that Butch was staring at.

"What is it, Butch?" Edaan whispered before an ear-piercing shriek penetrated the ears of everyone, and a swarm of ten eyeless and winged monstrosities that everyone could only assume were shyracks attacked the group, dragging two Mandalorians and one Lasat in to the air while the other seven engaged the Jedi and ex-Sith, who used their lightsabers to quickly hack apart the seven shyracks.

Shortly after, the half-eaten corpses of the Lasat, and one of the two Mandalorians that were taken up into the air, were discovered upon a small mountain of bones in a room about fifty meters ahead. The other Mandalorian was barely fighting off the three remaining shyracks with their dying flamethrower. Moving fast, Zeb used his Bo-rifle to snipe one shyrack, while the other two began to flee deeper into the tomb, with Edaan using the Force to pull one of the Shyracks to him, where he then cut off both of its wings, earning a few grimaces from his friends.

"Whoa. And you guys call mine and Vua's people sadistic." Jarael shockingly said, shocked at her friend's sudden brutality.

"Calm down, guys. The shyrack is just an Sith animal, and I want to read its mind in order to see what other surprises await us in this tomb, so we can prepare for them." Edaan said in defense of his radical actions, earning a few nods from the Lasats, Mandalorians, and ex-Lost Tribe Sith, but a few worried glances from his wife, as well as each of their closest friends.

"Fine, but make it quick, Edaan. Time is of the essence." Sabine said in a tone that would brook no argument, earning a grateful nod from the young Jedi Knight just as Jarael went to help the wounded Mandalorian recover from having a bleeding portion of the right side of her face chewed at.

Moving quickly in order to avoid causing too much pain to the wounded animal, Edaan scanned the creature's mind, seeing a brief rush of images pour into his mind, including a small army of Sith beasts, ranging from several Hssisses, to thirty tuk'ata, ten terentateks, twenty-five shyracks, and fifty k'lor'slugs ready for combat, and the images of several Sith leading them, two of which Edaan immediately recognized as Vestara Khai and Darth Snoke, and four Sith that he did not recognize, one of which was an old woman covered in Sith tattoos, another who Edaan assumed to be a brown-skinned man in Sith armor, a set of armor that distinctly looked like the armor of the long-dead Sith acolyte and Naddist Warb Null, a human man with distinctly white eyes, and a male Togorian whose fur was shaved off to reveal a set of intricate Sith tattoos.

Those few images were all Edaan could extract from the shyrack before it died from both its wounds, as well as the mental attack that Edaan inflicted on it. After taking a few calming breaths to center his mind and spirit from the assault, he got up to go towards his friends and comrades, who were by the wounded Mandalorian, who was getting back up after having her face stitched up by Jarael.

"Well? What did you find, Edaan?" Mirta cautiously asked, worried about her friend after he proposed such a radical course of action.

"It looks like the Sith sent those shyracks to probe our strength, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. They've got at least fifteen more shyracks, seven Hssisses, thirty tuk'ata, ten terentateks, and fifty k'lor'slugs, and they're being led by Vestara, Snoke, and four Sith that I didn't recognize." Edaan honestly replied, not catching the anxiety in her tone as she spoke.

"Well, at least we know how the Shyracks attacked us. During our early rebellion against the Empire, Ezra displayed significant skill in controlling animals. He even connected with a herd of purgills." Sabine wistfully said.

"Okay, so… are there any specifics that you caught from the other four Sith, as any information that you acquired from the shyrack could keep all of us alive?" Adari asked, her curiosity piqued by these other four Sith that her husband mentioned.

"Well, three of them were human, and the other was a heavily tattooed Togorian. One of the human Sith was a man who had white eyes, another was an aged woman who was also heavily tattooed, and the last one was brown-skinned and, strangely enough, covered in the armor of the Sith Acolyte and Naddist Warb Null."

"Malleus!" Sabine and Zeb simultaneously said in a cursing tone, catching everyone's notice.

"Judging from the name that you two just uttered, I assume that the two of you know who that is?" Edaan asked either of the two older warriors.

"Unfortunately, yes, Edaan. Malleus is the name of a Dark Jedi that was around during the early years of the Rebel Alliance. Zeb, Chopper, and I fought him a few times while on covert missions against the Empire, and every mission was where valuable Jedi and Sith artifacts were stolen, and we were tasked with retrieving them for when the Jedi Order would rise again. He always got away; regardless of how hard we fought against him. Of course, during the times that we hunted him, we learned a few things about him, like that his birth name was Telloti Cillmam'n, a Jedi from the last years of the Old Republic, who never got a master, and was a member of the Jedi Exploration Corps before he fell to the Dark Side during Order Sixty-Six, and killed Jedi Master Ekim Ryelli and his fellow Exploration Corps member, the Givin Staguu Itincoovar. He then assumed the identity of Malleus, the Hammer of the Dark Side, and became a Dark Jedi mercenary for hire, all the while gathering power and artifacts for his own personal use. He miust have joined Krayt sometime in-between those days and now." Sabine explained to Edaan.

The young Jedi then nodded in understanding, and said to Chopper, "Chopper, do you still have a secure link to our remaining forces on Khar Delba?" After the old astromech droid nodded its body in confirmation, Edaan said, "Good. Send a message to Artoo and Atai, and have them send this intelligence to the Jedi Council, and have them find out all that there is to know about Telloti Cillmam'n and Malleus, and have whatever data they can find on them sent to the Shadow Alliance's High Command." After grumbling in agreement, Chopper opened a channel with Atai Molec on the _Second Chance_ , with a holographic image of the Zygerrian appearing for all to see.

" _Hey, guys. Why are you calling me? Aren't you guys supposed to be going dark?_ " Atai curiously asked.

"We are, but we have intelligence that must reach the Jedi High Council. Tell them that we've identified one of the Sith as Darth Mallues, formerly known as former Jedi Youngling Telloti Cillmam'n from the old Jedi Order, and to send any data on Malleus to Mandalore. This may be the last time that you hear from us, so don't try to contact us. Do you understand?" Edaan explained to the governor of Zygerria.

" _Okay. Artoo and I have it all memorized. We'll contact the Jedi Council at once. Start safe out there my friends. May the Force be with you all._ " Atai dutifully said before he closed the holonet link.

"Not to question your judgment, Edaan, but why are you telling them about Malleus, but not about your other suspicions?" Jaden skeptically asked, regarding the possible revelation of Darth Krayt's true identity.

"Because Sabine and Zeb have been hunting him for years, and I trust them both, even if Zeb doesn't fully trust me." Edaan said, with just a little humor lacing his voice as he spoke at the end.

"Don't think that flattering me will earn you some points, Edaan, because it won't work." Zeb warned his comrade.

"Never said that flattering would work, my friend." Edaan honestly replied, before walking over to Jarael, compassionately saying, "Is she going to be alright?"

"Thankfully, yes, Edaan. She will have a few scars, of course, but the painkillers that I gave her will have her fully recovered any minute now." Jarael said, grateful that Edaan had not lost his capacity for compassion in his obsession with bringing back Vestara to the Jedi Order.

"Good." Edaan said, his voice full of relief as he then said to everyone, "All right, guys. We'll move out again in ten minutes, so get some water to drink or take a leak, because we won't be stopping for at least another ten hours."

_Meanwhile, Deep Within the Planet's Catacombs_

"It seems that your first wave failed, Snoke." Darth Morto sneered to the older Sith Lord.

"On the contrary, Morto, this was just the first wave, we have plenty of cannon fodder to spare, and we've learned something interesting about Edaan Palpatine and the depths that he will go to in order to achieve his goals." Snoke cryptically said, earning the ire of White Eyes.

"Stop with your cryptic talk and just tell us what you mean, Snoke." White Eyes said, sick of Snoke beating around the bush with vital issues.

"What I mean, White Eyes, is that Edaan went into one of the Shyracks' minds in order to learn about us, and killed it as a result, so it seems that Lord Krayt's plans to turn Edaan may bear fruit after all." Snoke simply said, not in the mood for White Eyes' usual impatience.

"Regardless, we still have to capture and break him in order to turn him, and that will not be easy, as Edaan is one of the strongest Jedi that I've ever fought, if not the strongest, and now Edaan is not alone." Kitai warned her fellow Sith.

"Against the combined might of the six of us, and the armies of Korriban, he cannot win." Sedriss arrogantly said.

"No. Kitai is right. Only together, do we have a chance of bringing Edaan and his allies down." Malleus said, surprising Kitai, as she did not count the former Jedi as an ally of hers.

"Regardless, we must move, as they will soon enter the catacombs, and we must intercept them before they get too close to our sanctum." White Eyes said, earning nods form each of the five other Sith, and they quickly began their journey to their ambush point, where they, along with their small but lethal army of Sith beasts, would be waiting for the Jedi and their allies to fall into their trap.

**And, that's a wrap! Wow! I did not expect to finish this chapter before the holidays, but I surprised even myself. Well, how are you doing on the night of December 23, 2016? I am well, as I got three good books from my local help center today for a very cheap price. And, my uncle that lives in New England will be here within a couple hours, so that's extra good news. Now, onto my story. Yes, I'm calling White Eyes by the name given to him by Alema Rar, but only because I couldn't think of a Darth name for him. Oh, and, just a hint for future chapters, the ambush point will be a point that appeared in a Star Wars Rebels episode, and I know that you all can figure out where it is. Be warned, surprises are in store for our heroes once they get there, and not the surprises that you would expect. By the way, don't worry about Edaan falling to the Dark Side, because he will not just because read a wounded Sith creature's mind. Oh, yes. I almost forgot about Darth Krayt's machinations. Well, don't worry, you'll understand soon enough what his plans are, and you will love how evil and clever they are. And, I hope that you enjoyed the revelation that Nala Se is working for the One Sith because, well, after the First Empire fell, it seemed logical to me that she would try to restore Kamino to its former place in the galaxy, and she figured that the One Sith are the best ones to do so, so she threw in with that lot. Don't worry; I won't try to redeem her, as I hate her too much for what she did to Fives in _The Clone Wars_. Well, I guess that that's it for this chapter. Happy Holidays, May The Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**

 


	17. Chapter 16

**Merry Christmas, fellow Star Wars Expanded Universe fans! How are you doing on this fine night of Sunday, December 25, 2016? I am doing well, as, last night, on Christmas Eve, I received plenty of good books that I had wanted (and I plan on getting even more books within a couple of months, adding a great deal to my already massive collection of books that I have yet to read), an Audio Bible set, some much-needed money, and a lot of clothes from my parents. And, to make things better, I am currently watching the movie _Killing Lincoln_ on Fox News, and I am enjoying it very much, but John Wilkes Booth is greatly disturbing me, as he is, in in my mind, in two words, and to put it lightly, a deranged madman. Now, I am sorry that I spent two days off, but I spent a lot of time with my family, playing _The Witcher III: Wild Hunt: Complete Edition_ in some of my spare time, and reading the book on Blackwater that I told you about a couple of chapters ago. Now, to let you guys in on a few things. First off, I think that I will kill off one of the dramatis personae in this chapter, and it involves a certain brawl that I mentioned a few chapters ago. I hope that you will enjoy it, as it will be reminiscent of the Marvel Crossover Comic, _Star Wars: Vader Down_. After that, I will get back to the incursion on Korriban. Hey, I just realized that by this point, I have written over sixty-four thousand words in this story since I started, and I have no plans on ending this story anytime soon, so take comfort in that, my friends. Oh, and RC1115-06, waileung0000, and Powerslammer, thank you so much for your decision to follow, favorite, or review my stories, respectively, as it means a lot to me that you appreciate my works enough to keep tabs on them. Oh, and, before I forget, I, thankfully, did not have to go to midnight mass last night, and I instead went to an 11:00 a.m. mass with the rest of my family. Well, with all of the small talk out of the way, let’s get on with the story, as, like I said before, a BIG brawl is about to begin, and, mark my words, it will be bloody. **

**(December 27, 2016 Addendum) Hey, Star Wars fans. I am creating what is hopefully the only addendum for this chapter to relay some tragic news. As of this day, legendary Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher has passed on. It is such a tragic shame, as she was an excellent actress, and had fans from all around the world. May she rest in peace, and may her family find comfort in The Lord Almighty. I wonder what will happen to Episodes VIII and IX now without the original Princess Leia? Well, I guess it’s up to the Will of the Force now (the Star Wars pun was intended, in case you were wondering.). Oh well, let’s get back to the story.**

**(December 29, 2016 Addendum.) Hello everyone. I am sorry to say that I am writing another addendum, and this one is also on tragic news. Yesterday, I learned that Debbie Reynolds, the mother of Carrie Fisher, and legendary actress, died of a stroke on that day. It is such a tragic end to such a chaotic year to lose yet another well-known and well-loved person. May the Lord be with the rest of her family in these turbulent times.**

_1400 Hours_

_Meanwhile, In the Mandalore System_

_On the_ Megador _, In The Maximum Security Wing_

 

“This is getting tiresome, Krrsantan. We’ve been going at this for over twenty-four hours, and you’re only making this worse for yourself.” said the elderly male Advozsec who was in charge of interrogating the sole remaining Jedi hunter and commander of the all but destroyed Neo Death Watch movement, who was battered and bruised, and had a bloodthirsty glare with his sole remaining eye that was directed at the transparisteel window that showed the room that contained Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Boba Fett, Firmus Nantz, Kyle Katarn, Armand Vorn, and Nek Bwua’tu, who were distastefully observing the interrogation that closely bordered on torture.

 

“This is getting us nowhere, Nantz.” Boba annoyingly said to former admiral of the Galactic Alliance and current member of the resurrected Grey Cadre, a shadow organization of advisors and military veterans that served Shadow Alliance as an unofficial advisory body, as the two of the latest version of the legendary Yuuzhan Vong Hunter Droids used their great strength to hold Black Krrsantan down as the Advozsec jabbed the Wookiee again with an electric taser gun, which made him howl in pain. “We need a different approach, as I know Krrsantan, and simple pain won’t break him, since the people that forged him into the killing machine that he now is made him experience incomprehensible amounts of pain.”

 

“I agree with Fett, strange as it may be. As satisfying as seeing Old Santy get his just desserts, this is beneath us, and makes us no better than he is.” Han said in gruff agreement.

 

“Well, what do you two propose, as we’re running out of time before Operation: Endgame commences, and we need all of the intelligence that we can gather before we invade Korriban?” Firmus annoyingly said, as he had faith that his methods, while as brutal as they were, would produce results if they were given time. He then continued, saying, “I doubt that any of us trying to appeal to his better nature will work, as his torturers burned out all decency and sense of morality out of him all of those years ago.”

 

It was then that Luke Skywalker had an idea, and, as harebrained as it seemed, he voiced his idea by saying, “Why can’t we?” After getting confused looks from the other six people, he said, I doubt that he would listen to reason from any of us, but I might know someone who can get through to Black Krrsantan, a Wookiee that I trust implicitly, and who happens to be stationed here, in the Mandalore System.”

 

“A Wookiee? Who are you…” Han said before he realized just who Luke was talking about, and incredulously said, “Luke, are you crazy?!? There’s no way that he will agree with this plan, and, even if he does, he’s a Jedi, which Old Santy hates, so there’s little chance that he’ll cave in.”

 

“Uh.... not to be rude, but what are you two big-time heroes talking about?” Armand curiously asked either of the two Heroes of Yavin.   


“What Luke is talking about, Armand, is bringing Lowie, better known as Jedi Master Lowbacca, into the interrogation in the hopes of him convincing Black Krrasntan to help us stop the One Sith.”

 

“What, you mean Chewbacca’s nephew who became a Jedi in the years before the Yuuzhan Vong invaded the galaxy? I’ve heard great things about him from the men, especially on how he’s quite the mechanic.” Armand asked as he recalled the intelligence reports that his mother made him read on each member of the Jedi Order for when her Neo Death Watch movement would go to war against the galaxy.

 

“What, you think that, as a fellow Wookiee, Master Lowbacca can get Black Krrsantan to come over to our side?” Nantz sardonically asked the former Jedi Grand Master.

 

“I don’t see anyone coming up with any other ideas, Nantz, so, if anyone has any better ideas, I’ll gladly hear them out.” Luke said, slightly irritated by the former Galactic Alliance admiral’s cynicism.

 

“Hey, it’s worth a shot. And besides, I’m not seeing anyone else come up with any better ideas, so we might as well try that one. And besides, conventional interrogation, as well as Mandalore’s truth serums, as well as a mental probe by our Jedi and Imperial Knights didn’t work, and this idea may pay off.” Armand said, surprising Luke with how the former came to the defense of his mother’s most hated enemy.

 

“I’m willing to at least let Lowbacca hear out this crazy plan of yours, Luke.” Kyle calmly and neutrally said, not willing to stoke the flames of anger that were raging right now in this room, with Bwua’tu nodding his head in acquiesce at the proposed plan, much to the bewilderment of Firmus and Han.

 

“And what about you, Mandalore? Do you support this absurd plan?” Firmus asked, holding out a little hope that he would side with him and his longtime enemy-turned ally.

 

“Well, Nantz, a good leader explores all possibilities, no matter how ridiculous or dangerous they might seem. And, like you just said, time is of the essence for us, and we need every advantage we can get against the One Sith and their allies, so we might as well give this crazy plan a shot.” Boba said, surprising Firmus.

 

The former Galactic Alliance Admiral then despondently sighed in defeat, but before he could say anything else, Boba said, “But that doesn’t mean that we should play all of our cards in this plan, Nantz. If this plan doesn’t work, we should just turn him over to the tribunal that’s handling Daala, Melusar, and Belok, because I can’t see any other use for him, and it’s just a drain on our resources.”

 

“Well, if it gets this matter resolved quickly, then I say that we move forward with this improvised plan.” Armand hopefully said as he clapped his hands together, earning a couple of chuckles from Luke and Kyle, who were amused at the younger man’s enthusiasm, while Han and Firmus glowered in disappointment.

 

_One Hour Later_

 

Lowbacca, a recently promoted Jedi Master, as well as the nephew of the legendary Wookiee and hero of the First Galactic Civil War Chewbacca, had just entered the _Megador’s_ maximum security wing, and gave Han a powerful hug, but stopped before he unintentionally crushed the older human’s bones while he was in his grip. He then gave Luke and Kyle a respectful bow, and a nod to Armand, Bwua’tu, Boba, and Firmus, as he was briefed on the situation, and what was required of him in order to get his fellow Wookiee, Black Krrsantan to talk and give the Shadow Alliance valuable intelligence on the One Sith and their remaining allies.

 

[No disrespect intended, everyone, but are you sure that this is the best course of action?] Lowbacca respectfully questioned the seven men that stood in front of him before he continued, saying, [Black Krrsantan is, to put it lightly, a heartless gladiator and bounty hunter who was once in the service of Darth Vader, no offense intended, Mandalore, and was tortured by his captors for Force-knows how many years until he was turned into the brute that he is today.]

 

“Funny, Lowbacca. The same could be said about you as well, since most bigots, and a lot of Trandoshans, think that all of the people of your species are no better than animals that can be displayed as pelts or trophies.” Boba sarcastically said, earning a low growl from the Wookiee Jedi.

 

[Careful, Mandalore. I might be a Jedi, but, like most Wookiees, I only have so much patience, so choose your next words lightly.] Lowbacca warned.

 

“I’m only stating a fact, Lowbacca, not trying to get on your nerves.” Fett unapologetically said as he shrugged his shoulders, not willing to give an inch of ground to this Jedi, even if if provoked said Jedi.

 

Thankfully, before the tension that permeated the room could explode into a frenzy, Armand got between Boba and Lowbacca and calmly said, “Okay, okay, everyone. Let’s all just take a quick moment to calm down. Mandalore, try to avoid the sensitive topic of Wookiee rights. And, Lowbacca, Mandalore didn’t mean to offend you by what he said, he just stated some unfortunate statistics and facts, not personal bigotry. Now that we’ve got that settled, can we attempt to put this little scuffle behind us and get on with the interrogation of Black Krrsantan, since we need to acquire as much information as we can on the One Sith before we invade Korriban?”

 

Both warriors said, “Agreed.”, and Boba moved out of the way for Lowbacca, who graciously nodded at the simple courtesy given to him by the Mandalorian leader, and prepared to enter the interrogation room, where Black Krrsantan and the two YVH droids were currently residing in.

 

“One last thing to remember, Lowie. Never forget that Old Santy is vicious, and has a lot more fighting experience than you do, so if he attacks you, don’t hold anything back if you hope to survive his onslaught. Understand?” Han said, not wanting a good friend of his to get killed because he reluctantly agreed to this harebrained scheme.

 

[Don’t worry about me, Captain Solo. I read up on Black Krrsantan’s history after we captured him, so I have a good idea of what we’re up against. And besides, if I get into any trouble, the seven of you will be only a few meters away from helping me, so I am confident that I will survive this encounter.] Lowbacca calmly informed his longtime friend.

 

“Just don’t be overconfident, Lowbacca. It could mean the difference between surviving this encounter or not. May the Force be with you.” Luke solemnly said as Firmus opened the three-layered durasteel doors that kept Black Krrsantan sealed off from the rest of the Super Star Desttroyer.

 

Lowbacca graciously nodded as he handed his lightsaber to Luke in order to prevent Black Krrsantan from possibly stealing it and using it to try and escape the _Megador_ , entered the cell, and waited for the Advozsec interrogator to leave the room, as well as waiting for the durasteel doors to close shut before he looked to see Black Krrsantan sitting on the wooden chair, gazing at the floor with his remaining eye as if he were in a trance.

 

[Are you alright, fellow Wookiee?] Lowbacca compassionately asked his older enemy.

 

After looking up to see who approached him, the black-furred and heavily scarred Wookiee scornfully said, [Great. Now the Shadow Alliance has enlisted one of my mislead brethren to try and break me. How many credits did they pay you in order for you to betray your own kind?]

 

[I betray no one by aiding the Shadow Alliance, Black Krrsantan. You betray every principle that our people believe in by aiding Natasi Daala and her Dragon Lord. Have you forgotten how the Sith and their minions have devastated Kashyyyk not once, but _three_ times?] Lowbacca rebuked his captive as he referred to Czerka Corporation’s attempt to enslave the Wookiee population before and during the Jedi Civil War, the First Galactic Empire’s enslavement of Kashyyyk during the early stages of the Great Jedi Purge, and, most recently, during Darth Caedus’s brief but brutal reign, when he razed much of Kashyyyk’s forests and killed many Wookiees before he was killed by his own sister, who was also one of Lowbacca’s oldest friend, Jaina Solo.

 

[I have not forgotten, traitor, I just chose to be strong and wealthy over weak and poor. Kashyyyk and its inhabitants were enslaved and devastated by the Sith so many times because they were all weak, and it is the job of the strong to rule over the weak however they want. That is what my many years as a gladiator taught me, and why I follow Darth Krayt and the One Sith.] Black Krrsantan passionately exclaimed, making Lowbacca aghast as he struggled to comprehend how Black Krrsantan could so ferverently serve the order that caused so much pain to Kashyyyk and its inhabitants.

 

[Now, just who are you, as I don’t recognize you since I’ve spent so much time working the Sith, and barely seen any of our people?] Black Krrsantan said as he appraised his current interrogator.

 

[Oh, yes. Where are my manners?] Lowbacca said with false courtesy as he continued, saying, [My name is Lowbacca, Master of the Jedi Order, and I am the son of Kallabow and Mahraccor, as well as the nephew of Chewbacca, who I know that you know, as you fought him during the battle of Vrogas Vas.] He then physically and mentally prepared himself for the expected assault that Black Krrsantan would likely unleash on him. Instead, he was caught off-guard when the older Wookiee did something completely unexpected; He began to bellow in amusement, which greatly confused Lowbacca, as he expected brutality in its rawest form from his captor.

 

[What’s so funny, Krrsantan?] Lowbacca barked out as he stayed on guard as the laughter began to die down.

 

[Nothing, _Master_ Lowbacca.] Black Krrsantan scornfully said before he continued, saying, [It’s just that I know that I sniffed something familiar about you, but I just couldn’t pin it down. Oh, I’m going to enjoy killing you before I die from the filthy Shadow Alliance’s hands.]

 

[You’re not going to kill anyone, Krrsantan. You’re going to tell us everything that you know about your patrons and their plans, and then we’re going to send you off to Coruscant, where you will face justice for your crimes along with your former cohorts, Natasi Daala, Roly Melusar, and Belok Rhal.] Lowbacca said, his voice full of conviction and determination as he spoke.

 

[I don’t think so, Lowbacca. In fact, I think that I’m going to get out of this prison any minute…] Black Krrsantan said, dragging out the last word as the lights in the cell started to flicker, and the YVH droids began to shut down, and the Wookiee bounty hunter shouted at the top of his lungs, [NOW!!!] At that instant, the cell’s lights gave out completely, and Lowbacca suddenly found himself being hurled across the room, which knocked him out for a good thirty minutes before he began to awaken, with the face of Han and Luke, as well as a worried female twi’lek medic who was examining him while Han Luke were worriedly looking over him.

 

[What… what happened? Where’s Black Krrsantan?] Lowbacca worriedly asked as he got back up to his feet, rubbing his throbbing head in pain as he did so, and accepted his lightsaber from Luke, who then attached it to his belt, and then worriedly asked, [Don’t tell me he’s on the loose?]

 

“Unfortunately, yeah, Lowie. That’s exactly what happened.” Han said as he shot Luke a scathing look, and then continued, saying, “Apparently, he and fifty of the Neo Death Watch’s commanders, along with five hundred of their rank and file troops that were placed on the _Megador_ for interrogation and safekeeping, have gone into an open revolt, and the entire security of the Super Star Destroyer is being called upon to put down the riot. In fact, once Luke and I were about to go to the hangar in order to stop Santy and the Neo Death Watch’s commanders are slaughtering their way towards the hangar bay in order to commandeer a ship and flee the system. But, now that you’re okay, the three of us can work to stop him before he gets away, and we lose our best source of information on the One Sith.”

 

[I’ll be more than happy to put down that blight upon my people, Han.] Lowbacca said, his voice full of determination as he stood up, much to the consternation of the medic and Luke.

 

“Lowbacca, are you sure that you are physically able for this task?” Luke said, his voice full of concern for his good comrade and fellow Jedi as he spoke.

 

[Don’t worry about me, Master Skywalker. I’m fine now, and in the mood for some action.] The Wookiee Jedi Master said, earning an amused grin from Han.

 

“Good. Because you’re about to have your fill of it, Lowie.” Han said as the three fighters began to leave the maximum security wing, only to have Han’s comlink go off, who then grabbed it to say, “Solo here.”

_“Captain Solo. I recommend that you hurry to Hangar Six, as it looks like that is where Black Krrsantan and twelve of Neo Death Watch’s commanders are heading to with the intent to steal the_ Chuundar’s Legacy _, as well as possibly the_ Millennium Falcon _._ ” Said the crisp and tense voice of Nek Bwua’tu.

 

“WHAT?!?” Han bellowed into the comlink, and then said, “If I he even touches my baby, I’ll tear him apart limb by limb!” This act of childishness that came from the almost eighty-six year-old man greatly amused Lowbacca and Luke and caused them to chuckle, which Bwua’tu was able to pick up on.

 

“ _So, I take it that Master Lowbacca is well and able?_ ” Bwua’tu calmly said, not at all annoyed by the two Jedi’s sense of humor.

 

[That is correct, Supreme Commander Bwua’tu. I am fully recovered, and ready to help suppress the uprising on the _Megador_. How bad is the situation?] Lowbacca dutifully said.

 

“ _In a word, difficult, Master Lowbacca. The prisoners are slowly being beaten back across the ship, but several dozen prisoners are heading to the hangar bays in order to try and escape the_ Megador _._ _I have four destroyers, six_ Lancer _-class Frigates, and twelve bomber squadrons that are loaded with ion bombs ready to intercept any outgoing ships, but I doubt that we can stop the_ Chuundar’s legacy _from escaping, as out technicians are still trying to figure out the ship’s capabilities, as well as crack the systems of the ship’s computers._ ”

 

“Well, that old man did have decades to improve the Appazanna Engineering Auzituck anti-slaver gunship, so it’s no surprise that his ship would be a tough nut to crack.” Han observingly said as the three fighters rushed to the nearest turbolift that would take them to Hangar Six.

 

_Twenty Minutes Later, In Barrack Four, 0.5 Kilometers from Hangar Bay Six_

 

Black Krrsantan was having the time of his life, just like he did during the failed invasion of Mandalore, as he was slaughtering every soldier and noncombatant of the Shadow Alliance that he could get his hands on in order to avenge the pain and agony that he suffered due to Edaan Palpatine and his allies.

 

[How much further until we reach Hangar Bay Six, because I want to leave this accursed system as soon as possible?] Black Krrsantan asked no one in particular as he tore a Zygerrian that worked for Zygerria’s governor, Atai Molec, one of Edaan’s most trusted followers, limb from limb, intimidating some of his weaker-willed followers.

 

“A-about half a klick, boss.” Said Salient, who was one of the two Loronar Corportaion followers that Black Krrsantan was escorting to Korriban. “But, I’ve intercepted transmissions that Captain Han Solo and Jedi Masters Luke Skywalker and Lowbacca are cutting a swath through our rear guard, and are picking up a small following of Jedi and Shadow Alliance troopers as they head our way.”

 

[Of course they would try and be heroes. It’s all that they know what to do.] Black Krrsantan sneeringly said as he blasted the corporate follower’s head off of his shoulders, shocking the other representatives of Czerka and Loronar Corporation, as well as the three high-ranking members of the broken Zygerrian Slavers’ Guild, while the six Mandalorians that were present simply smirked, as they were impressed at the Wookiee’s ruthlessness.

 

[Well, anyone else have anything else to report, or do you want to escape this hellhole?] Black Krrsantan asked, seething at Salient’s spinelessness. After everyone vigorously shook their heads to affirm a positive “no”, the gladiator said, [Excellent. Then, let’s fight our way to freedom, and deal as much death as we can before we escape.] He then roared with as much strength as his lungs could muster, and he was followed by the Mandalorians, who shouted “ _OYA_!!!”, and the remainder of Krrsantan’s allies roared as well, who did not wish to be massacred like Salient. They then moved out, ready to deal out their much-deserved vengeance against the Shadow Alliance before they moved to join the One Sith on Korriban.

 

_Concurrently, on Deck Twelve_

 

Han Solo was in a grim mood, as he was seeing a slaughter occur before his eyes as the prisoners and guards of the Shadow Alliance were killing each other in a battle for their very survival. But, as much as he wanted to jump into the fray in order to help these people, he knew that he was too old to get involved in a brawl like that, and he had to protect his home from the Sith and their lackeys. But, fortunately for the guards, Luke gave him a knowing nod, and he ran into the fray in order to aid the guards stop the riot with as few casualties as possible, leaving Lowbacca, and the five Jedi, three Mandalorians, three Neo Hidden Beks, and five Falleen soldiers to stop Black Krrsantan and his followers from escaping the system.

 

**Well, I think that about wraps up this chapter. Now, before you complain that there was no brawl of major character death in this chapter, please give me the chance to explain myself. I realized that the death of Black Krrsantan (Oh, come on, you knew that that was who I wanted to kill off.) needed to be in a big way, and a death in a prison cell would be so degrading of a character as fierce as him. And, I wanted to complete one more chapter before the year of 2016 ended, and 2017 began. I promise you that his death will come in the next chapter, and it will be in a big way. Now, onto other news. What are you up to on December 30, 2016, and what is your New Year’s resolution, as mine, according to my parents, is to lose at least a few pounds. As for me, I think that it will be to be a better servant of God, as I stand to improve in a few areas, to put it lightly. Anyway, what books are you reading right now, as I have finished the book on Blackwater yesterday, and I am about to read a religious book that was written by Pope Benedict XVI, and after that, I think that I will read a memoir by John Glenn. Oh, and I have a large amount of books coming next Wednesday, and I already have well over thirty books to read as it is. At this rate, I’ll have enough books to keep me occupied for the entire year, and I don’t even have all of the books that I want yet.**

 


	18. Chapter 17

**Happy New Year’s Eve, everybody! What are you going to be doing on the final day of 2016, as I will be at home, staying up late until the ball drops in New York? As for the rest of my family, they will be out doing their own thing, which means that I can work on this glorious saga in peace. Anyway, are you guys ready for a fierce Wookiee-Wookiee brawl, because I know that I am? And, after that, we will get back to the Incursion on Korriban, where Edaan, Sabine, and their allies will run into a long-dead Force-sensitive that I know that you can figure out as to just who their indentity is. After that, we’ll just have to see where my muse takes me. By the way, by the time that I’ve finished this chapter, I will have exceeded over seventy thousand words in this story alone! Isn’t that amazing? So, school will soon start back up for me, and I will have lesst time to devote to my stories. I’m just giving you guys a heads-up so that you can be prepared for any possible delays in my writing production. Well, with all of the small talk out of the way, let’s get on with the story, and, I genuinely promise you guys that this chapter will be very dark and bloody. May the Force be with Lowbacca and his friends, because they will need it dearly to survive what comes next.**

_Ten Minutes Later, In Hallway 12, 0.2 Kilometers from Hangar Bay Six_

 

[It won’t be long now.] Black Krrsantan said, glee with anticipation as he spotted with his one remaining eye the hangar that housed his personal ship, the Appazanna Engineering Auzituck anti-slaver gunship designated the _Chuundar’s Legacy_ , which was guarded by what appeared to be ten Void Jumpers, twelve Mandalorians, four Zygerrians, eight Stormtroopers, and one Jedi and Imperial Knight each. Black Krrsantan then growled menacingly at the thirty-six Shadow Alliance defenders, and opened fire at one of the Stormtroopers, who staggered to the ground before she ceased twitching, and let death’s embrace take her.

 

The thirty-five remaining defenders then began to return fire, and Black Krrsantan nimbly avoided every blaster bolt, and allowed his six Mandalorian followers to fire their pilfered rocket launchers at their enemies. Despite the Jedi and Imperial Knight’s best efforts, they could only stop three of the missles that rapidly approached them, and the twenty surviving defenders found themselves flung into the hangar, and struggled to get back up before their assailants attacked them.

 

“Oh, _bloah_.” Said one of the Shadow Alliance’s Mandalorians, who saw the black-furred Wookiee charging straight at them. The Jedi was staggering on his feet, while the Imperial Knight was knocked unconscious by the blast, and no amount of prodding by one of the two sueviving Zygerrians would wake her up. The Mandalorian prayed to both the manda and the Force that someone would save her and her comrades from this Wookiee’s onslaught.

 

_Meanwhile, 0.3 Kilometers Away_

 

[We need to hurry, Han. Black Krrsantan and his followers have just entered the hangar, and the ships’ defenders need immediate aid.] Lowbacca worriedly said, fearing Han’s response at his ship being in danger of being stolen by a bounty hunter/Sith lackey.

 

“Don’t worry, Lowie. That one-eyed mangy furball isn’t laying a hand on either of the ships if we have anything to say about it.” Han said, his voice full of grim determination as he spoke, earning a fang-filled grin from Lowbacca, who led the charge to intercept the Sith followers before they could escape.

 

_Five Minute Later, Back in Hangar Bay Six_

“Hey, boss! We’ve got unfriendly company!” One of the Zygerrians said, causing Black Krrsantan to briefly glance at where the Zygerrian was cursing in order to see the Jedi Master Lowbacca, along with Captain Han Solo, five Jedi, three Mandalorians, three Neo Hidden Beks, and five Falleen soldiers raplidly closing in, before he continued to blast away at two Void Jumpers, one Zygerrian, and three Mandalorians, while his six Mandalorians had executed the unconscious Imperial Knight, and were in the process of cornering the Jedi Knight.

 

[Damn it!] Black Krrsantan quietly swore to himself before he turned to the six Mandalorians, as well as his corporate and slaver allies, and shouted [Charles, Saren, Darna, to me! The rest of you, keep the Jedi and his remaining forces occupied.] At once, the three Mandalorians that he mentioned came to support him, while the eight other fighters, under the direction of the Mandalorians, kept up the pressure on the Jedi Knight and his five remaining allies in order to keep him off-balance.

 

As soon as Lowbacca, Han, and their remaining allies entered the hangar with each of their respective weapons drawn, Black Krrsantan scornfully said, [Well, well, well. If it isn’t the Jedi’s pet Wookiee, Captain Solo, and Edaan Palpatine’s sham of an alliance. I suppose that my boys and I can take a little time out of my busy schedule to kill you before I escape this accursed system. After all, killing the legendary Lowbacca and Han Solo should significantly demoralize this “Shadow Alliance.”]

 

“Don’t count on it, Santy. We’re a much tougher bunch than you and your masters give us credit for.” Han rebutted as he kept his blaster aimed at the veteran Wookiee.

 

[Ha! I find that hard to believe, Solo. You’re so worn out and old, that I can hear you struggling to catch your breath after that long run to catch me.] Black Krrsantan scornfully said, earning an enraged look from the captain of the _Millennium Falcon_ , before he was given a hand signal to stay his hand by Lowbacca, who had a fierce look of determination on his furry face as he stood his ground.

 

[Easy, Han. He’s trying to bait you.] The Wookiee Jedi said before he turned his attention to his elder, saying [How about we skip the small talk, Krrsantan, and settle this like real Wookiees?]

 

This proposition caught Black Krrsantan’s interest, and he curiously asked, [Exactly what are you suggesting, Lowbacca?]

 

[I’m not suggesting anything, Krrsantan; I’m proposing a one-on-one brawl to prove just who the better Wookiee here is. Your gladiator training against my Jedi training. My experience in warzones as a Jedi against your experience as a bounty hunter and Sith agent. You, against me. What do you say?] Lowbacca proposed.

 

This proposal earned a bloodthirsty grin from Black Krrsantan, who simply asked, [And what does the winner get out of this arrangement?]

 

[If I win, then you tell the Shadow Alliance everything that you know about the One Sith. But, if you win, then you and your followers can leave the Mandalore System, and we give you a weeklong head start before the authorities come after you, provided that you stay away from Sith Space because, if you return there we will kill you all.. So, do we have a deal?] Lowbacca explained, causing Black Krrsantan to nod in approval.

 

[A good fight with a fellow Wookiee, and a chance to escape this war with a week to go into hiding? How could my followers and I say no to such an amazing opportunity? I accept, on two conditions: No weapons or claws on either of our ends, or usage of the Force on your part. I want this to be reminiscent of the battles on Kashyyyk that our people engage in to settle old scores. Agreed?] Black Krrsantan said, hoping that Lowbacca would agree, as he wanted to kill this particular Jedi with his bare hands.

 

[Then it seems that we have an accord, Krrsantan.] Lowbacca grimly said before he was pulled aside by Han.

 

“Are you insane, Lowie?!? There’s no way that Old Santy will play fair in this brawl. Your only chance is to use the Force and your lightsaber to cleave that maniac in two!” Han reprimanded his longtime friend.

 

[I have little doubt, Han. But this may be our best chance to stop this needles carnage, and bring us a little bit closer to ending the One Sith before they can become a threat to the galaxy.] Lowbacca said, his voice full of conviction as he spoke.

 

“And what about your wife, Rabba? Are you so willing to needlessly risk your life when she’s back on Kashyyyk nursing your two children? Do you want her to raise your sons alone while you risk your life against a bloodthirsty lunatic who could very well kill you?” Han ferverently said, hoping that he could talk some sense into Lowbacca.

 

[As I recall, you and Leia risked your lives many times for the sake of your children during the many wars that have plagued this galaxy, so you can’t expect me to do any less when the fate of the galaxy is at stake.] Lowbacca calmly countered.

 

“I don’t know whether to slap you or hug you for your recklessness, Lowie.” Han said, torn between pride and anger at his longtime friend.

 

[How about do neither, Han? Now, if there’s nothing else-] Lowbacca said before he found himself interrupted by Han.

 

“There is. Lowie… stay alive.” Han said after hesitating for a moment.

 

[That, I can promise you, old friend.] Lowbacca asserted before he handed his lightsaber to Han, and said, [Keep it safe with you until the battle’s over.]

 

“Deal.” Han promised Lowbacca as he walked to meet Black Krrsantan.

 

[May the Force be With you, Black Krrsantan, for I will show you no mercy on the battlefield.] Lowbacca solemnly said as he launched himself at his older and larger opponent, who caught him in midair and threw him into a pile of crates, and then dragged him by his left foot.

 

[And I will show you no mercy in return, Jedi Lowbacca.] Black Krrsantan unemotionally said as he threw him again against the _Chuundar’s Legacy_.

 

A handful of seconds later, Lowbacca slowly got back up on his feet, and, resisting the urge to charge at his foe, and waited for Black Krrsantan to come to him. Slowly, but surely, he made his way to Lowbacca, and, after he made a jab with his left fist, Lowbacca sidestepped it in order to make a assault on Black Krrsantan’s blind area, hitting him on his head, back, and the back of his knees. These punches and kicks inflicted a significant amount of damage on the already physically tortured and exhausted Wookiee, making him fall to his knees before he ducked in order to avoid anymore of the Jedi’s blows, and caught the bounty hunter’s arm, and flipped him over.

 

Lowbacca felt the cold and hard durasteel floor connect with his head, and he blacked out for an instant, enough time for Black Krrsantan to grab him with both hands and lifted him into the air as he prepared to rip his younger enemy in two.

 

Han, seeing what was about to happen, and not willing to let another dear friend of his be killed on his watch, prepared to open fire on Black Krrsantan, but was stopped by a female Bothan Jedi by the name of Yaqeel Saav'etu, who held his hand in front of Han, and said, “Don’t give up on Lowbacca, Captain Solo. He still has a lot of fight left in him.”

 

“How can you tell, Yaqeel?” Han worriedly asked as he saw Lowbacca howling in pain as Black Krrsantan tried to use his massive brute strength to rip Lowbacca in two.

 

“Because he has his uncle’s indominitable fighting spirit, Captain Solo, and he will never give up, no matter what he’s up against.” Yaqeel said as she motioned for Han to look back at the fight, and saw Lowbacca begin to pull Black Krrsantan’s arms closer to his body, and used his body weight to flip him over, while the younger Wookiee landed blow after blow on his older opponent, and, despite the fierce resistance that the black-furred Wookiee put up, into defending himself, he could not withstand the assault for very long.

 

Finally, after five minutes that seemed to go on forever, Black Krrsantan wearily said, [STOP! STOP! I yield.]

 

[Good.] Lowbacca gratefully said as he began to carry the heavily battered Black Krrsantan over to the Shadow Alliance forces, before he was stopped by Krrsantan.

 

[No. Take me to my ship. I’ll unlock the ship’s hidden databases, and give you all of the information that you wish to know on the One Sith and their plans. Just promise me that you will treat my followers with dignity and respect.] The weary one-eyed Wookiee said.

 

[I can make that promise, Krrsantan.] Lowbacca vowed, earning a grateful nod from the gladiator and Sith agent, as he beckoned for Han and Yaqeel to follow him into the _Chuundar’s Legacy_.

 

As soon as the four warriors entered the ship, Black Krrsantan said, [To open my ship’s secert datafiles, type in the codephrase “Cylo-V” into the main computer. That will open the One Sith’s datafiles that I managed to acquire, and they will assist you in stopping them before they can make their move.]

 

As soon as Han typed in the codephrase that Black Krrsantan said, the ship’s tactical monitor activated, and revealed a series of images that Han struggled to make sense of. “Yaqeel, Lowie, can one of you two come over here to help me make sense of these files?”

 

“Sure.” Yaqeel and Lowbacca simultaneously said as they made their way to where Han was standing.

 

Lowbacca immediately got to work, typing away at the keyboard, and, after the transition of images was brought to a halt, five main data files were revealed, with them labeled, “Secret Projects”, “Personnel”, “Fleet Formations”, “Planetary Layout”, and “Personal Logs.” [I think that we just hit the motherlode of intelligence.] Lowbacca declared to Han and Yaqeel, which significantly piqued both of their interests.

 

“Why? What did you find, Lowie?” Han curiously asked.

 

[Five main files that could tell us just what the One Sith are up to, and how to stop them, Captain Solo.] Lowbacca simply replied.

 

“Well, that sounds promising.” Yaqeel eagerly said as she began to transfer the data over to portable datacards, so that the Shadow Alliance’s High Command could examine this newly acquired information. As she worked, none of the three Shadow Alliance members noticed Black Krrsantan slowly move to a hidden compartment, where he pulled out a syringe of a fast-acting vial of the lethal Karatos Plague, a deadly virus native to the Mandalorian planet of Concord Dawn which attack the internal systems of the body. Acting quickly before anyone could stop him, he injected it in a vein in his right arm, and grunted in pain as he began to feel the effects of the virus, immobilizing his body and causing him to collapse to the floor.

 

This sudden sound caused Han, Lowbacca, and Yaqeel to turn around to see him on the ground, with Lowbacca rushing to his aid. But, before he could use the Force to try to heal the bounty hunter, Black Krrsantan solemnly said, [Don’t bother, Lowbacca. I injected myself with a lethal dose of the Karatos Plague. It should kill me within five minutes.]

 

[But why?] Lowbacca despondently said, sensing the truth in the hunter’s words. [We would have treated you honorably as a prisoner of war, not as a criminal.]

 

[I will not be captured again and put in a cage, nor matter how comfortable it might be. I have kept my end of the bargain, and given you the keys to destroy the One Sith. Use them well. But, I will give you one more piece of advice: Beware Doctor Aphra and her two droids, 0-0-0 and BT-1.] Black Krrsatnan sadly explained, surprising Han beyond belief.

 

“Wait? That rogue archeologist and her two murderbots are still alive, and working for Darth Krayt? How? I thought Vader killed her after Cylo’s failed coup attempt. And what do you mean by beware them?” Han skeptically asked the dying bounty hunter.

 

[All I know is that Aphra and her two droids are working on a top-secret project for Krayt, and it involves a lot of cybernetics, as I was often the deliverer for said cybernetics. He’s likely building an army of cybernetic Sith Marauders, so be on your guard when you invade Korriban. Lowbacca, I have one last request to ask of you.] Black Krrsantan explained before he began to cough violently, and his right eye turned milky white as the Karatos Plague affected his last remaining eye.

 

[Name it.] Lowbacca said, sad that his fellow Wookiee that had suffered so much over the last couple of centuries, was about to die such a tragic death.

 

[Bury me beneath the trees of Kashyyyk, so I can forever be with my people.] Black Krrsantan slowly said.

 

[Of course. You have my word, Black Krrsantan.] Lowbacca gravely said, earning a sad smile from the older Wookiee.

 

[Good. Make sure that these wars are put to an end soon, and may you find victory in the light, Low _bacca…_ ” Black Krrsantan whispered as the Karatos Plague shut down his nervous system, and killed him, leaving three despondent souls within the _Chuundar’s Legacy_.

 

 _1900 Hours, In the Main Tactical Room of the_ Megador

 

After examining all of the data that Black Krrsantan had provided to the Shadow Alliance, Nek Bwua’tu despondently said, “This is most troubling.”

 

“Understatement of the decade.” Kyp Durron muttered from his seat, earning a few annoyed glares from several leaders of the Shadow Alliance.

 

“If this information is accurate, and we have every reason to believe that it is accurtate, then our invasion of Korriban is going to be much more difficult to achieve.” Etahn A’baht, a member of the resurrected Grey Cadre, grimly said, before he continued, speaking to everyone present, which included the physical and holographic projections of the Jedi Council, Shadow Alliance High Command, the Shadow Alliance councilor’s second-in-commands, Luke and Ben Skywalker, and Han and Leia Organa Solo, as he continued, saying, “According to the data that Black Krrsantan provided for us, Darth Krayt has approximately twenty-five hundred and seventy-eight Sith at his disposal, along with a great deal of the planet’s animal population at the One Sith’s command. In addition, Krayt has many spies within the galactic and planetary governments, including the Shadow Alliance, and we are in the process of arresting as many of them as we can, and eliminating those who cannot be apprehended, so that’s one of the only good spots of news that we have at this point.”

 

“ _General, what about the files that are designated “Planetary Layout?” Do we have a up-to-date map on the catacombs and the tombs?_ ” The holographic projection of Jedi Master and Jedi Council member Corran Horn asked hoping for more bright spots in the bleakness that seemed to pervade the tactical room.

 

“Thankfully, we do, Master Horn. Black Krrsantan sent miniature probe droids to scout the catacombs, and he also had compiled all of the data that Admiral Natasi Daala had gathered on Korriban before her capture, so, unless the Sith do some massive renovating in the next few weeks, we have a good idea of what we’re walking into.” Etahn A’baht gratefully said, earning a thankful nod from Corran.

 

“ _General, I looked over the personnel reports that Black Krrsantan had, and I’ve decided to come to Mandalore, along with ten additional Jedi Knights, in order to deal with Darth Sedriss, as I know her from personal experience._ ” The Whiphid Jedi Council Member K’Kruhk solemnly said, surprising everyone.

 

“Master K’Kruhk, what do you mean by that?” Leia Organa Solo confusingly asked.

 

“ _Well, Leia, before she was a Sith Lady, she was a Jedi Youngling under my care after Order Sixty-Six by the name of Sidirri. Originally, she was a caring girl, but eventually, after a series of tragic events involving an attack by pirates, as well as uncovering a murdering scheme of refugees from the Clone War on the planet Arkinnea, she succumbed to the Dark Side of the Force and ran away from the Hidden Temple that we had constructed with the help of the natives. Master Zao chased after her, but never returned._ ” K’Kruhk sadly explained, surprising everyone.

 

“Master K’Kruhk, I am sorry to hear that” Luke Skywalker sympathetically said, before he continued, gravely saying, “But, unfortunately, we’re on a timetable, and we need to continue this briefing before we get too off-track. Now, according to the files that Black Krrsantan had acquired, the One Sith are holding many prisoners there in the attempt to convert them to the Dark Side, incluidng a Jedi Master that the Order had assumed to have been killed during the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion: Jedi Master X2.”

 

“’X2?’ That sounds like a droid number. Exaactly who are you talking about, Uncle Luke?” Jaina Solo Fel skeptically said, not recalling that particular Jedi.

 

“He was a clone that was bred by the Kaminoans before the Clone War from the DNA of Jedi Knight Falon Grey, the former padawan of Jedi Master and Rebel leader Rahm Kota, along with his older brother, X1. Sometime after Order Sixty-Six, X2 deserted the First Galactic Empire to help protect a village on Dantooine from Imperial reprisals, and met Falon, where the two worked together to try and evacuate the villagers before they were beaten by X1, who killed Grey and left X2 for dead. X2 survived, and became a farmer for about fifteen years before he was recruited by Rahm Kota. He became quite a successful operative for the Rebel Alliance, and eventually, after the Battle of Endor, became a Jedi Knight. Several years later, X2 confronted X1 on Mustafar after X1 had become a self-proclaimed Sith Lord and Imperial warlord, and killed him in single combat. I then promoted X2 to the rank of Jedi Master, and he helped establish peace across the galaxy until the Yuuzhan Vong invaded. About a one-and-a-half years after the Invasion commenced, he disappeared, and was presumed dead. Obviously, he was captured by Darth Krayt and his followers in an attempt to break him, but they never succeeded.” Luke explained to everyone present.

 

“Well, as interesting as it may be, Master Skywalker, it only further complicates matters, as we now have to divert resources and precious manpower to rescue these prisoners.” Boba Fett stoically said, earning a few looks of ire from his follow leaders.

 

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, Fett.” Han said in no uncertain terms, before he continued, saying, “I’m more concerned about this secret project that Krayt has Aphra and her two murderbots working on, as it involves _a lot_ of cybernetics and nanotechnology that even our best technicians can’t make heads or tails of.”

 

“ _Well, I’ve been looking over the data from Black Krrsantan’s files, and I have to concur with his last words on that Krayt is building an army of Sith cyborgs, as most of these parts are top-of-the-line cybernetics that are extremely sophisticated_.” Said the holographic image of Jedi Master Tam Azur-Jamin, the Jedi Order’s best droid specialist, speaking for the first time at this meeting.

 

“Then we had best acquire a massive shipment of ion-based weaponry as soon as possible.” The former Galactic Alliance Senator Releqy A’Kla gravely said, earning many nods of approval from everyone present.

 

“Speaking of aid, where are the Chiss reinforcements that Aristocra Formbi promised us?” Said Gavin Darklighter, the Galactic Alliance representative of the Shadow Alliance’s High Command.

 

“Aristocra Formbi said that, at the most, they will be here within one more week.” Bwua’tu said, his voice full of agitation at the constant delays by the Chiss Ascendancy. “But, in other news, we have recruited eighty percent of the remaining Neo Death Watch forces to our side, which will bolster our forces significantly. However, we cannot account for any surprises that the One Sith will have in store for us once we invade Korriban. What we need is something that no one will be expecting.” He said, musing at the end before he continued, saying, “I propose that by this time tommorow, we reconvene and come up with a place where we can get any more reinforcements.”

 

“Agreed.” Everyone said, wanting to get some much-needed rest after the riot onboard the Megador, and they went back to their respective ships, with Goran Beviin and Boba Fett heading back to the _Slave I_.

 

“Hey, _Mand’alor_ , I might have an idea on how to get us those reinforcements.” Goran said through his helmet’s built-in comm unit.

 

“And that idea is?” Boba said, getting right to the point.

 

“We recruit some of Vua Rapuung’s fellow refugees from Rodia, and have them be a part of our vanguard forces.” Goran quickly said, earning what he assumed to be a death glare from Boba underneath the latter’s helmet.

 

“And what, pray tell, has possessed you to have such a ludicrous idea? You hate the Yuuzhan Vong.” Boba said in a low and very menacing voice.

 

“Well, after speaking with Vua Rapuung, I realized that not all Yuuzhan Vong are the same, and, they could be valuable allies if we let them.” Goran explained.

 

“And, even if we can convince the other members of High Command to go through with this insane plan, just how are we supposed to convince the rest of our people to ally ourselves with Yuuzhan Vong, even if they are members of the Extolled?”

 

“Well, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, _Mand’alor_.” Goran replied.

 

“I’ll give it some thought.” Boba said, surprising Goran, as he thought that he would never consider the proposal.

 

“That’s all that I can ask for, _Mand’alor_.” Goran appreciatively said as the two Mandalorians made their way to the hangar that contained _Slave I_.

 

**Well, that ends the last filler chapter for a while. I hope that you guys enjoyed the battle between Black Krrsantan and Lowbacca, as I wanted to make it the best brawl that I’ve made yet. So, I saw the mid-season _Star Wars Rebels_ Season Three trailer today, and it was amazing. I can’t wait to see what comes next for the growing Rebellion. Oh, and I bought _Injutsice: Ground Zero #3_ , today, and it was a good issue. I can’t wait to see what comes next for Harley Quinn and her band of misfits as the series progresses. By the way, school starts back up for me in about six days, give or take a day or two, and I will have a bit less time to devote to writing my growing saga. Just wanted to give you guys a heads-up. Well, I can’t figure out anything else to talk about today, on January 4, 2017, so I’ll just be signing off now. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**

 


	19. Chapter 18

**Hey, all of my friends! How are you doing on the evening of January 4, 2017? I am tired, but still writing strong. In fact, I wanted to write about things that I should have talked about in my last author’s notes, but I just forgot about it. Okay, first off, yesterday, I got six great books, and an amazing graphic novel online at a great deal. The books are (1) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, By Alexander Freed (Don’t hate me, but I think that there is a great deal of this story that I can incorporate into the Expanded Universe), (2) The Templars: The History & The Myth, By Michael Haag, (3) George Lucas: A Life, By Brian Jay Jones, (4) The Infiltrator: The True Story of One Man Against The Biggest Drug Cartel In History, By Robert Mazur (By the way, I saw the movie that was based off of this book, and I give it 4 out of 5 stars), (5) Naruto: Itachi’s Story: Midnight, By Masashi Kishimoto and Takasi Yano, and the mammoth of a book that is titled (6) From Colony To Superpower: U.S. Foreign Relations Since 1776, By George C. Herring. Lastly, the graphic novel is the Batman/ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover, and I’ve already read it, and let me just say that it was amazing. I really hope that there is a sequel one day, because I would totally buy that graphic novel up. Hey, I just realized that I have, as of now, surpassed seventy-three thousand words in this story alone. I am sorry to keep bringing up my progress, but I am just so amazed with myself in how much I’ve written in such a relatively short period in time. Well, now that the matter regarding Black Krrsantan is over, we can get back to our main protagonist’s incursion into Korriban, where Edaan and his comrades are about to meet a long-dead Force Ghost of a certain light sider that was killed in my head canon. Oh, and I have decided to get the “Canon” novel on Grand Admiral Thrawn, since (1) I crave more Star Wars material, and I have to wait for the graphic novels of _Star Wars: Volume Five: Yoda’s Secret War_ , _Star Wars: Doctor Aphra: Volume 1_ , and _Star Wars: Darth Maul_ to come out in order to save a good amount of money; (2) I want to find out more about one of the greatest Star Wars villains of all time, no matter what timeline it might be in; (3) I can probably integrate a few things from this book into my head canon, but probably not too much, as _Thrawn_ will only have, at most, several references to Timothy Zahn’s original character and his original backstory. Well, with all of the small talk out of the way, let’s get back to the story, which will take a very emotional turn in this chapter, which is the calm before the storm in the maelstrom that is the Sith home world of Korriban. May the Force be with Edaan and his comrades, for they’ll need it in order to face what will soon befall them. **

**(January 6, 2017 Addendum) Hello, everybody. Well, there’s only one day left until the double episode preview of _Star Wars Rebels_ : “Ghosts of Geonosis.” I don’t know about you, but I am super hyped for the return of, in my opinion, one of the few good shows left out there. So, how was your Friday, as I had to work at my local help center in the cold, lifting a bunch of heavy objects for my fellow volunteers? Other than the aches in my legs and arms, it was a very good experience, as I got to buy eleven religious and historical books at the help center. I think that, in addition to the books that I already have, I have forty-five books left to read, which gives me enough books to last me for an entire year. How amazing is that? Anyway, other than the impending snowstorms that are coming in a matter of hours, nothing else that is major is going on in my life. So, let’s get back to the story.**

_Meanwhile, On Korriban, In The Tomb Of Tulak Hord_

 

“Well, now where are we supposed to go?” Mirta Gev despondently said as the strike force reached the end of the tomb of the legendary Sith Lord Tulak Hord. After spending the last twelve hours searching every inch of the tomb, including the stasis chamber of Tulak’s personal Dashade, Khem Val, for any secret entrances into the catacombs, they had, both figuratively and literally, arrived at a dead end.

 

“Don’t give up hope yet, Mirta.” Edaan hopefully said as he examined the walls of the supply room, before he continued, saying, “I think that this is the room that we’re looking for.”

 

“Really, Edaan? We’ve searched the actual sarcophagus where Tulak Hord’s corpse was held, every nook and cranny of this place, we even faced an awoken terentatek, losing Oz and Ringo in the process, and you think that we’ll find the secret entrance to the catacombs in a supply room? I just don’t understand your thought process.” Zeb confusingly said.

 

“It’s called ‘hope’, Zeb. You should try it sometime.” Edaan said, earning an exasperated look from the Lasat supreme commander, as well as a few chuckles from some of Zeb’s men. As the young Jedi Knight continued to examine the walls, he came upon a tile that moved in a few inches, and realized just what the entrance to the catacombs was. He then said to everyone present, “Well, good news and bad news, guys. Good news, I figured out the entrance to the catacombs: it’s the same kind of entrance as General Grievous’s secret lair on Vassek, which has a paneling and a trigger switch that requires pressing a combination of certain panels in a certain order.”

 

“Well, that’s a sign of progress, Edaan.” Sabine hopefully said, before she realized what the bad news was, and despondently said, “And the bad news is that you have no idea what the combination is.”

 

“Yeah, pretty much. Anyone here know how to unlock an ancient seven-thousand year-old secret door?” Edaan embarrassingly asked, earning several groans and face palms from his comrades.

 

“Let me give it a try, Edaan. I spent a few years with the Jedi Exploration Corps in finding rare anad lost artifacts for many cultures and organizations, which included the Jedi Order.” Jaden Korr suggested as he walked forward and began to use the Force to feel the intricate workings of the hidden gate. After about thirty seconds, Jaden said, “Okay, step back everyone. Either I will unlock the hidden passageway into the catacombs, or cause a cave-in or explosion that will kill us all.”

 

“Uh… say what now?’ Zeb said, thinking that he must have misheard what Jaden just said about the possible cave-in or explosion.

 

“You heard him, Zeb.” Sabine nonchalantly said before she spoke to her men and said, “All right, everyone. Take a five while Jedi Korr works his archeological magic.” These last two words caused many of her men, as well as several of Zeb’s fellow Lasats, several of the ex-Lost Tribe Sith, Dinua, Robonino, and Adari, to bellow in glee.

 

“Uh… guys. Not to put a damper on all of the fun that you’re having, but we’d better give Jaden some silence so that he can work in peace.” Edaan reluctantly said, not eager to be a killjoy, but, understanding the stakes here, knew it was not the time to be whimsical.

 

“Thank you, Edaan.” Jaden gratefully said, as he let the light side of the Force flow into him, and let it guide his actions. Then, almost unconsciously, he began to reach for several panels, pressing one after another, until he pressed the center panel after pressing the first nine panels. Hearing a _Click!_ noise, Jaden stepped back, to see the wall in front of him move back, and then separate into two halves, and drift apart to reveal a set of stairs that led down to an unknown room.

 

“Well, I’d have to say that you and Jaden’s instincts were right on the dot, boss.” Robonino said as he turned on the flashlights that he attached to his dual blaster pistols, as well as the flashlight on headband that he attached to his head.

 

“Well, we’ll find out soon enough, Robo.” Edaan apprehensively said as he activated his violet-colored lightsaber, and he, along with Jaden, who activated his yellow-colored lightsaber, led the way down the staircase, with the rest of the strike team close behind, with Robonino and Akku covering the rear as they were the last two warriors to make their way down the flight of steps.

 

_Meanwhile, Deeper Within the Catacombs_

 

“They’ve finally found their way to the catacombs.” Darth Snoke said as he got up from his meditative position as White Eyes simply nodded at this new information.

 

“Strange, I would have expected them to take a lot less time in finding their way down here. But, it matters not, as it gave us more time to prepare for our ambush.” White Eyes reflectively said.

 

“It won’t be long now until we get our hands on that disgrace of Sith blood.” Darth Sedriss gleefully said, causing Darth Kitai to roll her eyes at her fellow Sith’s unnecessary savageness.

 

“How long do you estimate that it will take for them to reach our position, Malleus?” Kitai asked the heavily armored Sith sitting on a rock about five feet away from her, desperately wanting to speak with Edaan again in order to find out just what it was that he did to her during their last encounter because, ever since their previous skirmish in Dreshdae, she had been experiencing strange dreams and visions of places and battles that she had never seen or been a part of.

 

“About two hours, provided that they don’t stop to converse with that pathetically depressed ghost down in the Temple of Sorzus Syn.” Darth Malleus stated as he rose from his rock in order to use the Force to keep the campfire that was proviving light for the six Sith, while the beasts of Korriban lazily slept near their master, Darth Snoke. “But, knowing that Jedi’s desire to save every wretched soul that he meets, we’ll have at least another thirty minutes for them to reach our position.” Mallues then said.

 

“It’s so hard to believe that a descendant of Darth Sidious would be such a waste of talent.” Darth Morto disbelievingly said, before he continued, despondingly saying, “Because if he would have been one of us, he could have helped Lord Krayt conquer and bring order back to the galaxy by now.”

 

“What’s done is done, Morto. Focus on the here and now.” Kitai said before she realized what she said in defense of Edaan, and quickly added, “Besides, Lord Krayt may be able to break Edaan and some of his allies, so all is not lost yet.”

 

“What’s gotten into you, Kitai? I thought that you hated Edaan’s guts for kicking you off of your homeworld. Don’t tell me that you’re going soft on us.” Sedriss ominously said.

 

“Don’t be absurd, Sedriss. I just want to get this mission over with so that we can focus on taking down the Shadow Alliance and their beneficiaries.” Kitai said, carefully hiding her true reasons for wanting to capture Edaan.

 

“Enough bickering, you two! We must finish our preparations for our guests’ arrival, as we only have, at most, one hundred and fifty minutes before they make their way here.” White Eyes said, exasperated as it seemed that he was scolding two children.

 

_Thiry Minutes Later, Outside the Temple of_ _Sorzus Syn_

 

“All right. We’ll take a team inside to examine this temple and see if we can find anything of value, as well as anything that can help us navigate our way through the these blasted catacombs.” Sabine said in a tone that would brook no argument, before she continued, saying, “Zeb, Edaan, Jaden, Mirta, Adari, Chopper, you’re with me.”

 

After receiving affirming nods from each of the fighters, Sabine said, “Dinua, Vua. You’re in charge of the strike force until we return.” With the temporary leaders of the strike force given command, the six warriors, and their astromech droid, made their way into the Sith temple.

 

***

“Jaden, can you make sense of these hieroglyphics, because it all just look like bantha droppings, if you ask me?” Zeb uninterestingly said, knowing that Edaan did not study the Sith language, as the six people began to open the gate to the Sith temple.

 

“I think so, Zeb. Let me take a look at it.” Jaden said as he examined the door, and, after a minute, he said, “I can only make out a few words, but they say, ‘Beware the Temple of Sith Lady Sorzus Syn.’ Sorzus Syn … I know that name.”

 

“Yeah, so do I, Jaden.” Edaan, Sabine, and Zeb simultaneously said, before they awkwardly looked at each other, and Edaan said, “Sorzus Syn was one of the twelve Dark Jedi survivors of the Hundred-Year Darkness, and was one of the original Sith Lords, along with her fellow Sith, Karness Muur, Remulus Dreypa, Ajunta Pall, and XoXaan. She was the main alchemist of the Exiles, and she even had a hand in creating the Sith Abominations known as the Leviathans. In fact, it was rumored that there was two holocrons here that each contained a significant portion of her research and teachings, but that some Sith-wannabee stole one of them, decades after one of our Jedi expeditionary teams came here to find any Sith knowledge to safely lock away. How do _you_ know of that name, Sabine?”

 

“Because that ‘Sith-wannabee’ that stole the holocron was Ezra, Edaan, and the reason that the Ghost crew fell apart.” Sabine sadly said as she shed a small amount of tears as she remembered her longtime friend and comrade before he succumbed to the siren call of the Dark Side.

 

“Oh.” Edaan said before he muttered to himself, “Me and my big mouth.”

 

“Yeah, you’ll get no argument from me there, Edaan.” Zeb said in concurrence as Chopper warbled in agreement, and the former led the way into the temple.

 

As the seven fighters made their way through the temple, while examining a few Sith cartouches along the way that revealed the history of Sorzus Syn, Edaan heard a whisper from the back of his head that said, “ _I know you._ ”

 

“What?” Edaan said as his head whipped around to see absolutely nothing behind him. This strange behavior did not go unnoticed, and Adari and Mirta turned to face him.

 

“Are you alright, Edaan?” Adari said, her voice full of concern as she spoke.

 

“Yeah, it’s just… I thought that I heard someone speak to me, and-” Edaan said before he cut himself off, seeing the spectral form of a female Togruta in combat armor, who also had two curved lightsabers attached to her belt. Confused as to what she was doing here, he quickly said, “I’ll be back.” He then ran off, surprising both women, with Sabine, Jaden, Zeb, Dinua, and Chopper close behind them.

 

“What’s the blasted kid up to now, guys?” Zeb exasperatingly said.

 

“I don’t know, but we’d better catch up to him before he does soemting stupid, or we’re all in deep _poodoo_.” Zeb said as he began to run after Edaan, with Chopper close behind him.

 

“Zeb, wait!” Sabine shouted, but to no avail, as he was already too far ahead to hear her. “Ugh. Men.” She said, to the annoyance of Jaden, who raised an eyebrow at her, who failed to notice this, and she said, “We’d better go after them before those three impulsive fools give away our position.” With that said, the four remaining warriors chased after their Lasat supreme commander, old and belligerent astromech droid, and junior Jedi Knight.

 

_Meanwhile, near the summit of the Temple of Sorzus Syn_

 

Edaan was running as fast as his legs could carry him while not using the Force in order to keep his position cloaked from the One Sith, but the spectre was much faster than him, and led him on a wild bantha chase, taking him through so many twists and turns within the pyramid before eventually leaving the inside of the temple, leading to a set of stairs that led to the top of the temple, where a destroyed obelisk was standing in a large room with destroyed stone doors on each side of the room, and the skeletal corpse of a Togruta in the same combat armor as the Force Ghost. And in the middle of the room was the Togruta woman, crouching on the ground, and she was repeatedly whispering to herself as if she was in a trance and she was whispering, “All my fault. All my fault. All my fault.”

 

“Hello there.” Edaan tenderly said as he slowly approached the weeping ghost, and he then said, “Are you alright? Is there anything that I can do for you?”

 

“ _Yes, there is, Sheev._ ” The Force Ghost said as she slowly rose to her feet, and ignited her white-colored lightsabers, causing Edaan to look at her with caution and shock at the mention of his great-great-grandfather’s first name as he puled out his lightsaber and ignited it, revealing the purple blade. “ _YOU CAN DIE!!_ ” She shouted as she lunged at Edaan, who quickly blocked both of her spectral lightsabers, and was completely dumbfounded as how a Force Ghost’s spectral weapons woulc actually harm him.

 

As Edaan leaped above the mysterious woman and took several steps away from her, he protested her unprovoked attack, saying, “Okay, I think that we need to clarify a few things, lady! First off, I don’t even know you. And second, I am not Sheev Palpatine. My name is _Edaan_ Palpatine, than you very much. Now, why don’t you tell me just who you are, because I haven’t the… Oh, you have got to be _karking_ kidding me! Why didn’t I figure it out sooner?!?” Edaan said after he realized just who he was talking to, and then tried to reason with the former Jedi, saying, “Ahsoka Tano, I can promise you that I am on your side. I am a Knight of the Jedi Order, and I am here to help eradicate the Sith once and for all.”

 

“ _Sith lies! The Jedi Order was destroyed by Emperor Palpatine and my former master, Anakin Skywalker, after he became Darth Vader, an the Order never recovered from Order Sixty-Six and the Great Jedi Purge that followed. I will avenge all of the pain and loss that the Empire has inflicted upon the galaxy by killing you and your allies._ ” Ahsoka ardently denied.

 

“You’ve been trapped here for all of this time, haven’t you, Ahsoka?” Edaan sadly said as the pieces of the puzzle of Ahsoka’s apparent madness quickly fell into place.

 

“ _Yes. Because I failed Anakin when he needed me most, and failed the Rebellion that I helped to create._ ” Ahsoka sadly confirmed before she readied herself for another attack, before she saw something that made her stop dead in her tracks as she uttered, “ _Sabine? Zeb? Chopper?_ ”, speaking to her three friends among the early Rebellion that the former Jedi played a crucial role in creating, while the three fighters stopped dead in their tracks upon seeing the ghost of their long-dead comrade.

 

“Ahsoka?” Zeb and Sabine simultaneously said while Chopper used his appendage arms to rub his photoreceptors in an attempt to make Ahsoka go away, only to whirl around in joy after being proven wrong, and .

 

“ _Wh-what are you guys doing here?_ ” Ahsoka shockingly said before she continued, saying, “ _Where are Rex, Hera, Kanan, and Ezra? How fares the Rebellion? How long has it been since I died?_ ”

 

“Ahsoka…” Sabine said before she nervously looked at Zeb, and hesitatingly said, “It’s been nearly sixty years since you died, and…” Sabine then took off her helmet to reveal her wrinkled and aged face, which caused Ahsoka to gasp in shock upon seeing how old Sabine had become, and Sabine continued, sadly saying, “Rex, Kanan and Hera are all dead, killed by Ezra, who became a Sith Lord of the One Sith and now goes by the name of Darth Snoke.”

 

“ _What?!? How could that have…_ ” Ahsoka disbelievingly said before she sensed the truth in Sabine’s words, and said, “ _What happened while I was dead?_ ”

 

“It’s a long story, Ahsoka, and we don’t have a lot of time, so I have an idea on how to speed things along.” Edaan said, not wanting to intrude upon such a sad reunion of friends and comrades, but, knowing that the One Sith were likely moving in on their position, wanted to move this reunion along.

 

“Okay… What do you have in mind, Edaan?” Adari hesitatingly said, worried that Edaan would do another controversial move in order to achieve his noble goals, while Ahsoka looked with interest at the Keshiri woman, as she had never seeen a member of that species.

 

“Don’t worry, luv. I’m not going to do anything malicious. I’m simply going to temporarily bond myself to Ahsoka so that she can see all of my memories and knowledge in order to tell her everything that we need about what has transpired since she was killed.” Edaan said in a reassuring tone, causing Adari to sigh in relief at the revelation of her husband’s plans, before everyone heard a grunting noise as Butch ran towards Edaan, which caused Edaan to adopt a nervous look on his face as Butch growled in defense of his master, while Ahsoka looked shocked at seeing a tuk’ata defend intruders of Korriban.

 

“ _I assume that explanations for the tuk’ata here will be present in your memories, Edaan Palpatine?_ ” Ahsoka skeptically asked with an eyebrow raised at Edaan.

 

“Of course, Ahsoka. Now, I need you to focus on the Light Side of the Force, and open yourself to my mind, and I will do the same.” Edaan explained as he sat down on the ground in a meditative position, with Butch coming up to sit right next to him, while Ahsoka did the same thing. Edaan and Ahsoka then closed their eyes, and opened their minds to each other, and Edaan saw all of Ahsoka’s memories, from Jedi Council member Plo Koon recruiting her into the Jedi Order, to her time as a Jedi Youngling, to the three-and-a-half years as a Padawan to Agen Kolar before being transferred to Anakin Skywalker in order to help him deal with his trouble with letting go of others, to the battles that she took place in for four months, ranging from the battles of Christophsis, Ryloth, the Second Battle of Geonosis, the rescue of Jedi Master Even Piell on Lola Sayu, the Battle of Umbara, the battle of Onderon, and the bombing of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant by Jedi Knight Barriss Offee, to her subsequent banishment from the Jedi Order, and her refusal to return to the Order following her exoneration, to her month as a vigilante in the Underworld of Coruscant, her role in the month-long Siege of Mandalore with her longtime comrade and friend, Clone Captain Rex of the Grand Army of the Republic, to her near-two years in exile before being recruited by Senator Bail Organa to recruit people to form the early rebel network against the First Galactic Empire, to her working with the Ghost crew and now war veteran Captain Rex, to her battles with three Inquisitors, the ressurected Darth Maul, and her former master, Anakin Skwalker, now Sith Lord Darth Vader on Korriban during the mission there along with Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus and Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger, and her death at the hands of her former master. She then revealed how her grief at failing to save Anakin tethered her to this temple, where she had remained for nearly sixty years.

 

Ahsoka could not believe what she was seeing. This man was the great-great-grandson of Emperor Palpatine, and yet he had stayed true to the ressurected Jedi Order, as well as the Light Side of the Force, despite the inner and outer demons that he had dealt with for nearly twenty years. She learned all of the events that had occurred since her death, ranging from the official formation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, the First Galactic Civil War, and the murders of Generals Rex and Hera Syndulla, and Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus by Ezra Bridger, who had succumbed to the Dark Side after a three year-long struggle against it after her death, and due to the influence of the Holocron of Sith Lady Sorzus Syn that Ezra had acquired from the temple on Korriban, to the revelation that Anakin had married Padme Amidala, who had a son and daughter named Luke and Leia, to the deaths of Darths Sidious and Vader at the redeemed Anakin Skywalker’s hands, to the eventual end of the First Galactic Civil War by a peace treaty by the New Republic’s Chief of State, Ponc Gavrisom, and Imperial Remnant’s Supreme Commander, Gilad Pellaeon, nineteen years after the destruction of the First Death Star, to the ressurection of the Jedi Order under Luke Skywalker, to the five-year Yuuzhan Vong Invasion, which killed over 365 trillion beings, and half of the growing Jedi Order, to the Dark Nest Crisis and the Swarm War that followed, to the Second Galactic Civil War four years later, which caused Han and Leia Organa Solo’s sole surviving son, Jacen Solo, to fall to the Dark Side and become Darth Caedus, and murder Mara Jade Skywalker, Luke’s wife, before his death at the hands of his older twin sister, Jaina Solo, to the emergence of the Celestial monster Abeloth, as well as the Lost Tribe of the Sith two-and-a-half years later, to when Ben Skywalker, Luke’s son, fell in love with Sith, and eventual Jedi Apprentice Vestara Khai, before her betrayal during the Battle a year later for control of Coruscant, to the Jedi Order’s banishment from the Galactic Alliance, to Edaan’s ten years of training with the Jedi and his plans to redeem Vestara, to his training with his five dead Jedi masters: Tau, Revan, Meetra Surik, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Darth Caedus, building alliances and gathering forces from the Galactic Alliance, which had replaced the New Republic during the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion, the Fel Empire, which was the Imperial Remnant before Jagged and Jaina Solo Fel had taken over, the entire Hutt Grand Council, the Hapes Consortium, the Mandalorian clans under Boba Fett, the cloned son of Jango Fett, and the ressurected Jedi Order, to create the Shadow Alliance, to the discovery of the One Sith while he defeated Falleen anarchist Xasha Xizor and Galactic Tyrant and Neo Death Watch leader Natasi Daala, to his marriage with the Keshiri resistance leader that he met during the Jedi’s invasion of the Lost Tribe’s homeworld of Kesh, Adari Thayn, to his mission to Korriban to find Vestara Khai and redeem her in order reunite her with her former boyfriend, Ben Skywalker.

 

After finishing all of Edaan’s memories, Ahsoka opened her eyes, and gratefully said, “ _Edaan, I am so thankful that I have met you, as now know that I can become one with the Force and be with all of the Jedi that have gone before me._ ”

 

“You’re very welcome, Ahsoka Tano.” Edaan graciously said as Ahsoka stood back up to speak to everyone present.

 

“ _Everyone, I have to warn you that six Sith, as well as their small army of Sith beasts, have set up a position deeper in the catacombs in order to ambush you about ninety minutes away from here, and two of those Sith are Ezra- I mean, Darth Snoke and Vestara Khai._ ” Ahsoka said, causing everyone to sigh dejectedly.

 

“Yeah, with all of out combined luck, that figures.” Zeb exasperatingly said as Chopper looked down at the floor in annoyance.

 

“Hey, at least we now know of the trap. That’s the first step at turning it to our advantage. Or, as Obi-Wan Kenobi was fond of doing, we can spring the trap.” Edaan glibly said, earning a chuckle from Ahsoka, who had a wistful smile on her face as she laughed.

 

“ _Yeah, that does sound like Obi-Wan. Edaan, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors. May the Force be with you all in this shadow war._ ” Ahsoka said as she faded away and became one with the Force.

 

After she faded away, the seven fighters simply reflected this encounter, before Sabine said, “Well, we’d better get moving if we’re going to meet this ambush head-on.”

 

“Sabine, you took the words right out of my mouth.” Edaan said as the seven warriors headed back down the temple in order to rendezvous with the rest of their strike force.

 

_Meanwhile, Deeper Within the Catacombs_

 

“Edaan and his allies freed Ahsoka Tano from her self-imprisonment in the Temple of Sorzus Syn.” Darth Kitai said as she ceased her meditative trance.

 

“Well, well, Edaan continues to surprise us.” Darth Morto said as he finished practicing his lightsaber technique with Darth Malleus.

 

“I know. And that’s what worries me. We have to take him out while we still can, because if he reaches Lord Krayt and the rest of our brothers and sisters, he will try to ‘save’ them, and there’s no telling whether or not he can sway any of them away from the righteous path that we are on.” Darth Sedriss sadistically said.

 

“No.” White Eyes simply said before he continued, intimidatingly saying, “Our orders are clear. We are to capture Edaan Palpatine, Jaden Korr, and as many of the leaders as we can so that they can be brought before the master. There can be no debate.”

 

Kitai could not help but wonder what she would do when she faced Edaan again, and this conflict was etched on her face, which is something that Darth Snoke quietly picked up on.

 

**Well, this ends my longest chapter to date in this story. So, tell me what you think of my inclusion of Ahsoka Tano in my story. Now, to clarify a few things: First off, yes, in my head canon, Barriss Offee did bomb the temple, but because of a young Geonosian brain worm that was hatched inside of Barriss’s head after the Second Battle of Geonosis, and the Jedi Council discovered this brain worm before they handed her over to the Republic Military, and removed it, hence her death on Felucia during Order Sixty-Six. Second, if I took the time to explain every event in the Star Wars Expanded Universe, then this chapter would never be done. Third, in my head canon, Ahsoka was killed on Korriban during her duel with Darth Vader in 3 BBY. Okay, I think that that about covers everything that I wanted to clarify. So, what did you guys think of the latest _Star Wars Rebels_ episodes: “Ghosts of Geonosis: Parts 1 & 2”, as I enjoyed them very much. I especially enjoyed the surviving queen egg, which can be reconciled into the Expanded Universe, as the Geonosian population can recover from the attempted genocide by the First Galactic Empire after the events of the novel _Star Wars:_ _Tarkin_. Well, I don’t know about you guys, but it is COLD where I am, so I’d better stop writing before my fingers fall off from the below freezing temperatures. Oh, one more thing. This will be the last chapter that I write before school starts back up for me on Thursday, January 12, 2017. I just wanted to give you guys a heads-up. So, May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**

 


	20. Chapter 19

**Good afternoon, all of my friends! How are you doing on this frigid day of January 9, 2017, as I am tired, and it is only 2:07 PM where I am? Anyway, I have got some HUGE Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles news for you guys. Apparently, the last four episodes of Season Four of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles premeired in South Korea at the end of last year, and, from what I found out of these episodes, they are very dark, probably too dark for a TV-Y7-FV rating. Anyway, my Spring 2017 semester at my local community college begins on January 12, 2017, which is in a measly three days, so I’d better get cracking if I want to get this chapter finished within four to five days. By the way, are you guys playing any good video games right now, because I am still less than halfway through the game, _The Witcher III: Wild Hunt: Complete Edition_ , and I’ve been playing this game for at least two weeks? Oh, and, speaking of good video games, I can’t wait for _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ to come out on March 21, 2017, because I will buy that game right up. Well, with all of the small talk out of the way, let’s get on with the story, because the ambush by the One Sith is coming up soon, and I want to move the story along, as we still have a long way to go before this story is finished. Oh, one more thing: I plan to include one more reference to the ongoing show, _Star Wars Rebels_ , in this chapter. Just guess as to what it is, I dare you. Well, on with the story! **

**(January 10, 2017 Addendum) Good day, Star Wars Expanded Universe lovers! So, how are you doing on this fine day? I, honestly, could be better, as today is the 9 th anniversary of my grandmother’s death, and it is very depressing. In addition, I just finished a very thought-provoking book that has got me thinking on a lot of important issues that face this current generation. I won’t say anything more than that, in order to avoid causing any trouble from this website’s administration. Well, on a more positive note, with said book finished, that only leaves me with just forty-three books left to finish by the year’s end, and that doesn’t include the books that I hope to get for my birthday, which is at the end of next month, in case any of you were wondering. In addition, I figured out how to delete video games from my Xbox One, which frees up a bit of data for other games. Oh, and, before I forget, I only have two more days until community college starts back up for me this semester, so I’d beter get cracking. One more thing, can you guys believe that, as of January 3, 2017, I’ve been writing this saga (which, so far, is comprised of over two hundred thousand words) for over eleven months? It’s just amazing, when you stop and think about it. And, to think, that we have Powerslammer to thank for inspiring me to write this glorious saga. Well, with all of the small talk out of the way, I’ll get back to writing, as I know that you guys want more of that.**

_Five Minutes Later, Outside the Temple of Sorzus Syn_

“Alright, everyone, listen up!” Sabine exclaimed to all of the members of the Shadow Alliance’s illegal strike team, causing them to turn and face her, where she then continued, saying, “We’re going to make camp here for the night, because in the morning, we’re going to run into fierce opposition from the One Sith and their beasts, and I want everyone to be at peak condition for when we engage the enemy. So, get some food, water, and rest, because once we leave this temple, we’ll truly be in the Krayt Dragon’s den, no pun intended.”

 

With those words uttered, most of the remaining warriors and Force-sensitives began to converse among themselves, get some much needed food and water, or take the first watch to make sure that no one ambushed their position.

 

“Well, Boss, what did you and the others find while in the big spooky temple, because all that Seelah, Vua, Jarael, and I found while we looked around were the skeletons of what Jarael identified as a Dathomirian Zabrak and heavily armored Terlleian Jango Jumper?” Robonino said as he sat down on a rock, with Butch coming up next to him as the latter began to snore loudly, much to everyone’s amusement.

 

“Well, I think that Sabine and Zeb should best explain, Robo.” Edaan quietly said, not wanting to wake up the sleeping tuk’ata, and the two senior warrriors walked forward.

 

“Okay, first off, are you telling me that you two managed to find the corpses of Darth Maul and the Inquisitor that was only known as the Eighth Brother at the bottom of the temple?” Sabine skeptically asked either of the four members of Edaan’s crew.

 

“Indeed, Commander Wren.” Jarael said in her trademark calm tone, before she continued, saying, “We identified the Zabrak as the corpse of Savage Oppress, without his double-bladed lightsaber, after he was possessed by the spirit of Darth Maul, and the Terelleian Jango Jumper as the Eight Brother because of his Imperial Armor and broken lightsaber.”

 

“Well, as interesting as this is, we have a couple more things to talk to you guys about. We saw the ghost of Ahsoka Tano in the Sith temple, and Edaan here managed to set her free from her grief, and she finally became one with the Force.” Zeb bluntly stated, causing each of his allies to stare at him with theier jaws agape.

 

“Are you serious? You guys managed to redeem the Force Ghost of a long-dead Sith spirit?” Seelah disbelievingly said, earning confused looks from each of the other six warriors.

 

“Uh… Seelah?” Edaan confusingly said as he awkwardly looked at everyone else before he said, “Ahsoka Tano was the former apprentice of Anakin Skywalker before she left the Jedi Order two months before the Clone War ended. She later became a key member in creating what would eventually become the Rebel Alliance, and was killed by Darth Vader about three years before the Battle of Yavin.”

 

“Oh. My bad.” Seelah sheepishly said as she rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment.

 

“Don’t worry about it, Seelah.” Edaan said before he turned the converseation back to the matter at hand, saying, “One more thing that we should tell everyone about. Once we leave this temple and descend deeper into the catacombs, the One Sith will attack us.”

 

“Uh… Didn’t Sabine just tell us that?”Seelah confusingly said.

 

“Yes, but what Sabine didn’t mention is that the attack from the One Sith’s scouting party will include Darths Kitai and Snoke, along with an army of Sith war beasts that should, if we’re lucky, be comprised of several Hssisses, thirty tuk'ata, ten terentateks, fifteen shyracks, and fifty k'lor'slugs.” Edaan said, causing Seelah’s eyes to widen in shock upon hearing of this piece of intelligence.

 

“How do you discover this information?” Seelah asked, leaving Edaan grateful that she moved right to the point of the matter.

 

“Before she became one with the Force, Ahsoka told us that Darths Snoke and Kitai, along with four other Sith and Snoke’s army of Sith beasts, are planning an ambush for us deeper within the planet’s catacombs.” Edaan explained, causing Seelah to nod in understanding.

 

“So, how do we approach this complication?” Seelah worriedly said.

 

“As much as it pains me to admit it, there isn’t anyhting that we can do to prevent this ambush, and the best that we can do is make sure that our men are well-rested so that we don’t take too many casualties from the ambush, and make sure that we take out as many Sith as we can. But, remember, I want Vestara and Snoke _alive_.” Edaan said, stressing the last part with as much command that he could muster.

 

“Yeah, yeah. Everyone here knows how much you want to redeem Vestara and reuinte her with Ben Skywalker, Edaan.” Sabine said before the mention of her former comrade took root inside of hers and Zeb’s minds, and the former said, “Uh… Edaan? Forgive me for being blunt, but why in the Nine Corellian Hells would you want Snoke alive, because he will be controling the one hundred-plus army of Sith beasts that will try to rip us apart?!”

 

“Because, ever since I found out that Ezra was the one that stole one of the two holocrons of Sorzus Syn from this temple, I’ve been thinking, and I might have a new theory as to why Ezra fell to the Dark Side.” Edaan explained, confusing both the Mandalorian and Lasat.

 

“Uh… I think that your sharing of information with Ahsoka might have further unhinged your mind, Edaan.” Zeb skeptically said before he continued, saying, “We all know how Ezra became Darth Snoke, kid: He fell to the Dark Side because of his grief over Ahsoka’s death and Kanan’s blindness, and was corrupted by the knowledge of the Sith holocron that Ezra and Kanan took from this temple all of those years ago.”

 

“Yeah, but have you two considered that the holocron might have been the primary cause of Ezra’s fall?” Edaan suggested, confusing the two former rebels.

 

“Exactly what are you going with this, Edaan?” Sabine impatiently asked, not wanting Edaan to dance around the issue, and instead get to the crux of the matter.

 

“What I’m ‘getting at,’ Sabine, is that the holocron may have possessed Ezra.” Edaan said, getting right to the point of this small argument, causing everyone’s eyes to widen in shock and disbelief.

 

“Okay, okay. I’ve heard a lot of insane theories in my time, but an object possessing someone is too much for me to swallow.” Zeb said in full denial as Jaden appeared to be deep in thought.

 

“Not necessarily, Zeb.” Jaden said as he exited his reflection on the history that he learned about the First Sith War during his time at the Jedi Praxeum on the moon of Yavin Four.

 

“What do you mean, Jaden?” Sabine curiously asked, wondering where Jaden was going with this train of thought.

 

“What I mean, Sabine, is that Edaan’s theory may be posible, because during the First Sith War, Exar Kun, one of the two reigning Dark Lords of the Sith at the time, broke the Dark Holocron, the old Jedi Order’s sole Sith Holocron at the time, and sent the fragments into the hands of nineteen of the twenty of the Jedi Knights that joined Exar Kun during his secret mission to recruit young Jedi Knights to his Brotherhood of the Sith, and the shards that contained the spirits of many Sith avatars from said holocron possessed the Jedi, and turned them into willing minions of his twisted cause. And, out of all of those possessed Sith acolytes, only Oss Wilium was able to be saved by the Jedi and his master, the Tchuukthai Jedi Master that simply went by the name of Thon.” Jaden explained before he continued, saying, “So, in theory, the holocron could have slowly wormed its way into Ezra’s consciousness, and accelerated his fall to the Dark Side.”

 

“Okay. Let’s assume that this insane theory actually makes sense. Just how do you intend on saving Ezra from the holocron that’s possessed him?” Zeb asked, playing along with Edaan’s ridiculous theory.

 

“Well, the first thing that we need to do is destroy the holocron that Ezra’s been corrupted by, and we’ll work our way through there.” Edaan said, not willing to tell everyone of his backup plan in case the first plan failed.

 

“Oh, and here I thought that it would be simple.” Sabine sarcastically said as she smiled at the challenge of saving her longtime friend, before she said, “Well, we’d better get some rest, as once we leave this temple, there’ll be no more pit stops.” Everyone agreed with what the aging Mandalorian said, and headed to separate sections of the makeshift camp in order to get at least a few hours of much-needed sleep.

 

_Day 82 Since the Shadow Alliance’s Formation_

_Forty-Seven days Until Operation: Endgame_

0730 Hours

_In the Mandalore System_

_On the_ Executor _-class Star Dreadnought_ , Megador _, In the Briefing Room_

 

The various leaders of the Shadow Alliance, including said alliance’s High Command, the Jedi High Council, Supreme Commander Nek Bwua’tu, the resurrected board of advisors known as the Grey Cadre, Voort sa Binring, the leader of the legendary and infamous Wraith Squadron, Grand Moff Ephin Sarreti, Mandalorians Ghes Orade, Goran Beviin, Sintas Vel, and Venku Skirata, the Heroes of Yavin, Master Assassin Rayder Sei, and Ben Skywalker were all in attendance as they met to discuss the complications that arose due to the loss of manpower due to the Defense of Mandalore, and they had just heard Boba Fett and Goran Beviin’s absurd proposal to include Yuuzhan Vong refugees in their recovering army, with a significant portion of the Shadow Alliance’s leadership in an uproar over the proposed plan.

 

There was so much noise and chaos in the briefing room that Luke Skywalker had to use the Force to enhance his voice in order to be heard over all of the ruckus, and he furiously shouted, “ _QUIET_!!!” This uncharacteristic display of anger from such a revered Jedi was enough to silence everyone, as well as make them look at the Jedi Master as if they did not know him as well as they assumed.

 

After a few seconds of waiting in order to make sure that no one would once again erupt in anger, Luke said, “Thank you. Now, before anyone derails the meeting again, we should give Goran the chance to explain his… debatable plan.”

 

“Thank you, Master Skywalker.” Goran gratefully said before he went up to the holotable and pulled up an image of the planet Rodia, and continued, saying, “To clarify a few things, yes, my plan does include recruiting a few members of the now defunct Warrior Caste, but, we are mostly going to recruit former Shamed Ones and the now-grown children of various castes. Second, if my plan goes through, we only will intend to recruit followers of Edaan’s Yuuzhan Vong companion, Vua Reapuung, which should give us at least a few hundred new allies. Third, we would not bring back their _foul_ biotechnology, but we’d teach them to use modern weaponry that will be almost as effective as the weapons that our regular troops have.”

 

“Okay, and what’s to stop them, even the Extolled, from turning on us once they’ve gotten a taste for blood on Korriban?” Han Solo disbelievingly said, not understanding how such a smart and highly intelligent Mandalorian could come up with such a harebrained scheme to recruit members of one of the vilest and most hated species in all of existence.

 

“Well, that’s what the Jedi are for, Captain Solo. The Jedi are revered by the Vong for their accomplishments, and their example will be enough to keep the Vong from going over the deep end.” Goran said, not at all phased by Han’s skepticism at his plan.

 

“Goran, I azk you to forgive this one for questioning your plan, but what caused you to come up with such a controversial plan for getting us reinforcementz.” The Barabel Jedi Council member Saba Sabatyne hissed in polite doubt of the highly respected Mandalorian’s scheme.

 

“Thank you for asking in such a polite manner, Master Sabatyne. You see,” Goran said as he began to explain his reasoning behind his gamble, saying, “as most of you know, I’ve hated the Yuuzhan Vong ever since they invaded the galaxy, and I never wanted to see another one of them again. But, during the Defense of Mandalore, I met Edaan Palpatine’s Yuuzhan Vong friend, who calls himself ‘Vua Rapuung’, and we became friends, or, at the very least, reached a mutual understanding between each other. After that, I began to think, and I realized that maybe, just maybe, there could be other Vong that could, if given a chance, be like him. That’s why I proposed this risky strategy.” Those words left everyone, minus Boba Fett, who already knew of this approach, speechless, with their jaws hanging agape.

 

“Wow. I wanted to impress you guys, not shock you into astonishment.” Goran humorously said as several of the people present began to lightly chuckle in amusement.

 

“ _Well, now that we’ve gotten past the shock of Goran’s proposal, the Shadow Alliance’s High Command will need to vote on this matter._ ” The Hutt lord Azzim Anjilic Atirue said from his flagship, the _Chelandion_ -Class warship known as the _Varl’s Legacy **.**_ “ _All those in favor of accepting aid from the Yuuzhan Vong refugees on Rodia, please raise your right hand._ ” He continued as he raised his right hand, with Boba Fett, Corran Horn, Jaina Solo Fel, Armand Vorn, and Gavin Darklighter following suit. Only Trista Vel and Traest Kre’frey stood in opposition to this proposal due to the past history that the two latter counselor’s planets, Hapes and Bothawui, meaning that the plan would go through.

 

“Very well. I will support this dangerous gamble, but I disagree completely with this course of action.” Admiral Kre’frey painfully said, recalling how the Yuuzhan Vong had been responsible for the death of his cousin, Borsk Fey'lya, during their Invasion of Coruscant, and how Borsk had managed to die with honor by taking out twenty-five thousand Yuuzhan Vong Warriors, further taxing the Yuuzhan Vong during their occupation of the galaxy.

 

“That is your right, Admiral.” Goran said, completely understanding the Bothan admiral’s misgivings to such a controversial plan.

 

“Well, now that that’s handled, we-” Luke said before the proximity alarm went off throughout the _Megador_ , which surprised everyone, and those that were physically present in the Super Star Destroyer’s briefing room followed Nek Bwua’tu, who quickly left the room to head to the ship’s nearby bridge.

 

“What are we looking at here, Bwua’tu?” Boba asked as the members of the Shadow Alliance entered the Super Star Destroyer’s bridge.

 

“Ten unidentified capital ships are approaching the outward edges of this sector. They’ll be out of hyperspace in about sixty seconds. We can’t get a good ID on them, so we have to assume that they might be hostile. I am currently deploying ten Squadrons of ion bombers, as well as twelve Star Destroyers, to meet the unidentified ships if they are enemy craft.” Bwua’tu diligently said as he prepared to give orders to the bridge’s crew.

 

“Actually, Supreme Commander, that won’t be necessary, Tell all ships to stand down.” Jaina Solo Fel said as she seemed to emerge from a trance.

 

“Forgive me for being skeptical, Empress Fel, but just how do you know that these ships are not hostile?” Bwua’tu questioned, not willing to needlessly risk the lives of his crew without credible intelligence.

 

“Because I can sense that the ships that are about to come within our proximity are Chiss Star Destroyers that are being led by Aristocra Formbi.” Jaina simply said, surprising everyone present.

 

“Are you absolutely sure, Jaina?” Han said, wanting to be absolutely sure of this sudden assertion on her daughter’s part.

 

“Of course I am, Dad. Would I lie about such a vital influx of reinforcements?” Jaina redundantly asked, causing Han to roll his eyes in exasperation.

 

Deciding to trust one of his superiors, Bwua’tu said, “Tell all ships to stand down, but keep their shields up, just in case.”

 

About twenty seconds later, the ten capital ships reverted into realspace, revealing ten one kilometer-long Star Destroyers of the Chiss Ascendancy.

 

“Well, it appears that you were correct, Empress.” Bwua’tu said before he motioned for the communications-officer of the Megador to open a communications channel to the lead Chiss Star Destroyer. “This is Supreme Commander Bwua’tu, commanding officer of the Shadow Alliance’s armed forces. May I speak to Aristocra Formbi regarding the early appearance of this fleet?” Bwua’tu asked in a tone that would address speaking to equals.

 

“ _You may indeed, Supreme Commander Bwua’tu._ ” Said a cultured and aged voice as the image of and aged Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano, better known to the greater galaxy as “Formbi,” came into view of all of the assembled leaders. “ _Please forgive the delay, but I found it appropriate to personally lead the Second Fleet in order to make amends for the Chiss Ascendancy’s alliance with Vitiate’s Sith Empire during and after the Great Galactic War, as well as my people’s delay in providing aid during the Second Mandalorian Civil War and stopping Natasi Daala’s insanity._ ” Formbi said in a polite but apologetic tone.

 

“There is no need to apologize, Aristocra Formbi. We’re just grateful that you could arrive at all, and with quite a sizeable fleet, no less. This will work greatly with our plans to invade Korriban in a few weeks.” Bwua’tu gratefully said before he continued, saying, “Perhaps it would be best if you were to come onboard the Megador in order to discuss your fleet’s upcoming role in the invasion.”

 

“ _Of course, Supreme Commander._ ” Formbi graciously said as he ended the Holonet transmission, leaving the assembled leaders of the Shadow Alliance to prepare for the inevitable arrival of the oldest Aristocra of the Chiss Ascendancy.

 

_Meanwhile, On Korriban, Deep Within the Catacombs_

“Edaan and his allies are almost upon us.” Darth Snoke said as he pulled his lightsaber off of his belt and alerted his army of Sith beasts to get into their ambush position.

 

“About time. I was getting bored just imagining gutting so many of Edaan’s allies.” Darth Sedriss sadistically said as she leapt down from the boulder that she was standing on, much to the annoyance of Darth Kitai. .

 

‘Enough with your very vivid and brutal imagination, Sedriss. We know how much you hate the Jedi.” Kitai exasperatingly said, sick of hearing Sedirss ranting about her desire to kill and maim Edaan and his friends.

 

“Agreed, Sedriss. Do not forget our master’s orders, or I will carve them into your skull with my lightsaber.” White Eyes venomously said as he moved into position for the ambush, when he heard a tiny beeping noise come up from underneath his feet. He quickly realized what was about to happen, and, as he leapt away with the use of the Force, he shouted, “TAKE COVER!!!” Immediately after he bellowed, a series of massive explosions erupted from the ground, incinerating at least two dozen of Snoke’s Sith beasts, as well as an unprepared Darth Morto, who was too close to the blat radius in order to get away from it, killing him instantly.

 

Kitai could not believe that they had been outmaneuvered by Edaan and his allies yet again! It infuriated her that all of the Sith’s plans could be undone by one young and very clever man. She was cut off from her contemplation when she heard a series of shouts of the word “ _OYA_!!!”, and the Mandalorians, Lasats, ex-Sith, and Jedi allies of Edaan Palpatine began to press the attack on the distracted Sith, which killed several more Sith beasts as a result. The battle for the fight of the One Sith’s lives began, and it did not look good for the adherents of the Dark Side.

 

**Well, that ends the latest chapter of my story. So, what did you guys think of it, and be honest, as I really need some constructive criticism. Now, onto questions that you might have: First off, yes, my idea to recruit Yuuzhan Vong sounds insane, and probably is, but I needed to bridge the gap between my prologue and the current place in the timeline in order to move things along. Besides, I like to consider most of the Yuuzhan Vong at this point in the timeline to be reformed, so the threat of them going on another crusade is pretty low, at best. Second, I know that the Chiss suddenly arriving sounds ridiculous, but, like I said, I need to move things along in my story before I get too bogged down in filler. So, now that that is out of the way, I want to tell you guys that as of today, on January 12, 2017, I have started my next semester of community college, and it promises to be an interesting semester. I am taking classes on ethics and the history of jazz, so I will be kept pretty busy for a while, and I won’t be able to update my story as often as I like. Well, as many of you know by now, the strategy guide for _Mass Effect: Andomeda_ has been released on Amazon.com, and it is over four hundred pages long, so this ought to be a great game. Well, with all of that out of the way, May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	21. Chapter 20

**Hey, everyone! How are you doing on this fine warm evening of January 12, 2017? I am well, as I have just discovered three great books on the websites of Barnes and Noble and Amazon, namely Cop Under Fire: Moving Beyond Hashtags of Race, Crime and Politics for a Better America, By Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. and Nancy French, Three Days in January: Dwight Eisenhower's Final Mission, By Bret Baier and Catherine Whitney, and one other book that I will not name in order to avoid any… let’s just say controversy that’s going around right now. I hope to get those three books soon, because these days, I enjoy reading historical and political books very much. **

**(January 13, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, all of you Star Wars fans! Sorry for another addendum, but I didn’t complete the top author’s notes for my next chapter, as I wanted a little breather from writing for the day. So, for those of you who are still in school, how are your classes going, because I would say that mine are off to a good start, as I have finished one assignment today in my Introduction to Jazz class? What are you guys going to do tomorrow, as I am going to volunteer at one of my local libraries, and then see _Patriot’s Day_ with my father right after? I can’t wait to see that movie, as I consider myself to be a loyal and passionate patriot for the principles and ideals that the United States were founded on, as well as the ideals that so many brave men and women have given their lives to defend across the globe. Oh, and before I forget, this chapter will be heavy with action, which is to be expected since the last chapter left us on quite a cliffhanger. And, RC1115-06, I plan to use your characters well in, hopefully just several chapters from now, so don’t you worry about that, but I need to figure out how to get to where I plan to be in that point of my story. Now that that’s over with, let’s get on with the heavy action in this chapter. May the Force be with the survivors of this gruesome battle, because they will need it in order to survive what comes after this.**

**(January 14, 2017 Addendum.) Good day, everyone. Well, today has been pretty good so far, and it’s just 5:39 PM where I am right now. At a local library, I bought a good book that’s titled _I Am Malala_ for a measly fifty cents, and then I saw Patriot’s Day with my father, and boy, was it a moving movie. If I was a movie critic, I would give it nine out of ten stars, because that movie was just so darn powerful, as it showed that, no matter how hard things might become, love will eventually triumph over hate. The only question that needs to be answered is that how high the cost will be. And, later tonight, I will watch the latest episode of Star Wars Rebels, and how Grand Admiral Thrawn’s machinations will literally blow up in his face. Well, let’s get back to the story. **

**(January 16, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everybody. I am sorry for yet another update, but I have some news that I can’t wait to share with all of you. As of about one hour ago, Powerslammer’s latest masterpiece, _Rajmael of Clan Lavellan_ was updated with the start of the final arc of the story, and it is already off to a great start. Oh, and before I forget, _Star Wars: Rebels: The Promised Day_ was updated about half an hour ago, and it was pretty good, with a promise for more action. Anyway, that’s about it for this addendum. I’d better get back to writing, as I have a bit less time to write, now that school’s back in swing. Oh, and to make matters worse, my parents are making me join a gym after school tomorrow. I know that they mean well, but at this rate, I won’t have any time left to write. Well, see you in a couple of days. **

 

_Twenty Minutes Later_

 

It was utter pandemonium in the catacombs beneath the surface of Korriban’s Valley of the Dark Lords, as the scouting forces for both the adherents of the Light and Dark Sides of the Force were fighting for their very survival against their enemies, and neither side was giving an inch in this battle. Despite the heavy casualties that both sides were facing, with the Shadow Alliance losing ten Mandalorians and Lasats, and three former members of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, which included Saarai Caine, and the One Sith losing Darth Morto, two hssisses, eight tuk'ata, three terentateks, five shyracks, and twenty k'lor'slugs due to the explosions that were strategically placed by Butch and Sabine before the attack commenced, the massacre on both sides was still continuing, with the Force Sensitives on both sides working in perfect sync, and this skirmish’s end was nowhere in sight. Edaan Palpatine, Adari Thayn Palpatine, Seelah Verge, and Edaan’s loyal tuk’ata friend, Butch, were engaging Darth Kitai in combat, while Jaden and Akku Sei II fought against White Eyes and two terentateks, Sabine Wren, Garazeb Orellios, Mirta Gev, Robonino, C1-10P, the astromech droid better known as “Chopper,” and Vua Rapuung were facing off against Darths Snoke and Malleus, Jarael Chantique and Dinua Jeban faced off against Darth Sedriss, while the rest of the Mandalorians, Lasats, and ex-Lost Tribe of the Sith members were holding off the diminished, but still highly lethal army of Sith beasts.

 

“Give it up, Vestara! You can’t escape this time.” Edaan said, full of an immense internal fire that nearly made Kitai heed his advice before she remembered just what it was that she was fighting for besides the One Sith.

 

“You should listen to Edaan, Vestara, as he is more merciful than either of us ladies.” Seelah furiously said, as both she and Adari were devastated by the loss of their dear friend and comrade, Saarai.

 

“Never! As long as there’s breath in my body, I will fight for the restoration of my people.” Kitai said, full of a determination that rivaled Edaan’s as their lightsabers locked for what must have been the tenth time during the Shadow Alliance’s ambush of the six fully sentient members of the One Sith.

 

“Vestara, you’re people have already recovered from our invasion of Kesh, and soon they’ll have their own equal voice in galactic politics, so they can make their own mark in the galaxy, without anyone subjugating them.” Edaan passionately said, which only served to enrage the Sith Lady, who then sent a powerful barrage of Force Lightning at the young Jedi, who quickly countered with his own volley of Light-side Force Lightning, with both attacks canceling each other out.

 

“How dare you? It’s because of you Jedi and your friends that my people have been reduced to groveling before the idiots and bootlickers of the Galactic Senate! If the three of you and your allies hadn’t interfered with my plans, then none of this would be happening!” Kitai shouted with disgust at the thought of her people working in the Galactic Alliance when instead they should be ruling the galaxy instead.

 

“No, Vestara. If I hadn’t have helped end the war on Kesh, then the war would still be going on back there, and even more death and destruction would have been going on all across your home world.” Edaan gently said in correction, before he launched himself at Kitai, with both warriors moving with perfect technique in Makashi, the second form of lightsaber combat. Despite the minor cuts that each Force-sensitive had received from the brief flurry of whirling lightsabers, neither warrior was nowhere near conceding this battle.

 

“Your ‘peace’ is a lie, just like the Sith Code says in the first line.” Kitai vehemently said as she leapt up to a ledge in order to get the higher ground in this increasingly difficult battle.

 

“Vestara, I know that you don’t believe that any more than I do.” Edaan said as he used the Force to destabilize the ledge that Kitai was standing on, causing said ledge to collapse, which resulted in Kitai to leap off of it before it completely buckled, and leapt between Adari, Butch, and Seelah, who quickly pressed the attack against her, but Kitai quickly deactivated her lightsaber and landed a powerful series of jabs and punches in the pressure points of Seelah’s body, knocking her out in a matter of seconds.

 

The older Keshiri female was quickly picked up by Butch, who took her to a safe distance before he returned to aid his master and his wife.

 

Adari was not willing to give up the fight despite her fellow Keshiri being knocked unconscious, and began to use the martial arts forms of Teräs Käsi on Kitai. She managed to land a few hard blows on Kitai’s stomach and limbs, but the Sith Lady was nimble enough to avoid the bulk of the attack. However, the blows that Adari managed to land on Kitai slowed her down enough for Butch to come up from behind her and lunge at her with his claws, causing four claw-like gashes to appear on her back, making her scream in pain.

 

Edaan, knowing that Butch meant well, but could have killed Vestara if he launched a second attack, telepathically ordered Butch to help Sabine, Zeb, and the others to help take down Snoke and Malleus. Butch, after hesitating for a moment, quickly left one battlefield in order to join another one.

 

Once Edaan knew that Butch would follow his orders, he turned his attention back towards Vestara, who was now knocked on the ground by a grim-looking Adari, who had a murderous look on her face as she faced the weakened Sith Lady.

 

“Do you know how much pain and suffering that you caused my husband after you betrayed the Jedi Order? Well, DO YOU?!?” Adari shouted into the subdued woman’s ears.

 

“Yes, I do.” Kitai said with a hint of guilt in her voice as she spoke, remembering all of the memories that Edaan flooded into her brain the last time that they fought.

 

“Then you should know how much that I want to kill you, not just for the suffering that you caused our people and the greater galaxy, but for the pain that you made my husband feel.” Adari ferociously said, before she continued, saying, “But that won’t bring back all of those innocent people, or help my husband with his plans, so I’m going to be the bigger person here, and let you live so that you can make up for all of the pain that you’ve caused everyone.” This decision greatly impressed Edaan, as he knew that Adari’s moral compass would prevent her from becoming a servant of the Dark Side, and it surprised Kitai, as she expected a swift retribution from Adari due to her rebellion against her during the Jedi’s invasion of Kesh. The Sith woman did not know what to make of this unexpected act of mercy, and, still in great pain from the tuk’ata’s assault, did nothing as Edaan placed stun-cuffs on her wrists. She only hoped that when the rest of the One Sith captured Edaan and his allies, she would get the chance to speak with him again in order to understand what he did to her at Dreshdae.

 

Once Kitai was properly restrained, and her lightsaber was given to Adari for safekeeping, Edaan said, “Adari, can you watch over Vestara? I’m going to help Jaden and Akku with their portion of the battle.”

 

“Don’t worry about me, Edaan. Just take care of yourself. May the Force be with you, my love.” Adari passionately said as she quickly kissed her husband on the lips for good luck before he ran off to aid his fellow Jedi and Anzati friend with their enemies.

 

*

 

Jaden Korr was struggling for his life against the sole remaining terentatek that was attacking him, with the Sith beast trying to gouge him with its extremely sharp and lethal tusks and claws, but being unable to catch him, as the Jedi was too nimble, and Jaden’s use of the Force kept the terentatek off-balance.

 

Akku was also struggling against White Eyes, as the former was running out of weapons that were useful against Force users, such as fibrocord, fuel for his flamethrowers, and grenades from his personal stash, while the male Sith Lord seemed to be just getting warmed up in this fight.

 

The two warriors were so distracted in their struggle, that neither male was able to notice Edaan rapidly approaching the smaller battle within this larger attack until the young Jedi shouted, “AKKU, GET DOWN!!!” The Anzati immediately ducked onto the ground, which allowed Edaan to use the Force to send a powerful blast of telekinetic energy at the older Sith Lord, who was knocked off of his feet and thrown into a nearby wall, knocking him out within seconds.

 

Exchanging a knowing look with Akku, the Anzati Mandalorian quickly took White Eyes’ lightsaber, attached it to his belt, and then used a significant amount of his remaining fibrocord to tie up the unconscious Sith Lord. He then went with Edaan to help Jaden kill the wounded terentatek that was attacking him, and within two minutes, the three highly seasoned warriors brought down the beast.

 

“Well, that wasn’t too hard.” Edaan remarked after taking a moment to catch his breath, and then continued, saying, in a commanding tone, “Akku, go help Jarael and Dinua take down Sedriss. Jaden, aid Sabine and the others in capturing Snoke and Malleus.”

 

“And what about you, Edaan? What are you going to be doing?” Akku questioned as he readied his weapons for the next part of the battle.

 

“I’m going to go into the fray and lead our remaining allies against the Sith beasts that are fighting them.” Edaan curtly replied as he then ran off, leaving an amused Akku to roll his eyes at his longtime friend’s determination to see everything through to the end, no matter how dangerous or lethal things might become.

 

“Well, you heard the man. Let’s get to work.” Akku said as he headed off to help the two female fighters take down their female fatale. Jaden just shook his head at the trust displayed between Edaan and his longtime friend before the more experienced Jedi Knight headed to aid the former Lothal Rebels in taking down their two Sith adversaries.

 

*

 

Sabine, Zeb, Mirta, Robonino, Chopper, and Vua were running out of options to win this fight, as Darth Snoke, their former comrade known as Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger, had summoned four tuk’atas, as well as six shyracks, to reinforce his and Darth Malleus’s position, which quickly turned the tide of the battle back in the Sith’s favor. Despite killing off half of the tuk’atas and two shyracks, the remaining Sith beasts had cut off Robonino and Chopper off from the four other warriors, allowing Malleus and Snoke to close in the four beleaguered freedom fighters.

 

 _Kark it! Just how are we going to get out of this one?_ Sabine mentally cursed as Snoke separated her and Zeb from Mirta and Vua by the use of the Force, and prepared to administer the killing blow against her, when Snoke was distracted by an ear-piercing howl that cut through the air, and the three enemies turned to face a bloodied Jaden Korr, causing Sabine and Zeb to sigh in relief, while Snoke snarled in anger upon seeing his loyal beasts fall to a simple Jedi Knight.

 

Snoke was so distracted by the red hot anger that permeated his entire psyche that he all but neglected to hear a very familiar lightsaber ignite behind him. Turning at the last second, he barely blocked the darksaber from cutting through his collarbone, as well as the several blasts that came from Zeb’s bo-rifle.

 

“No matter. I’ll kill all of you before I die!” Snoke growled out as he fell back in order to acquire some much-needed distance from his two adversaries, while Jaden began to engage Malleus, and Mirta and Vua moved to make sure that Chopper and Robonino were alright.

 

“Ezra, don’t be such a blind fool!” Sabine said in a desperate plea to stop her former friend from getting himself killed, and landing himself in Chaos for all of eternity. “That holocron that you and Kanan took form Sorzus Syn’s temple has turned you into a monster. But it’s not too late to come back to the Light and face up to what you’ve done. Let us help you!”

 

“I’d listen to her, Ezra, because she has more faith in you than I do!” Zeb warned as he hefted his bo-rifle as he prepared to fight if the worst came to be, which he all but completely expected of the Sith Lord.

 

Snoke looked down at the ground for a moment, seemingly considering the offer. But Zeb, sensing a trap, and recognizing the way that his former friend’s hands were subtly moving, quickly turned his bo-rifle into his electrostaff mode, and charged at Snoke, which caused him to duck out of the way, and, along with Malleus, who, despite his experience with fighting in Warb Null’s armor, as well as having the advantage of fighting in an environment that Jaden was unfamiliar with, was being overwhelmed by Jaden’s superior use of the Force, quickly called upon several tuk’ata and hssisses to occupy the seven fighters in order to buy enough time for the two Sith Lords to escape, as they saw several of the few remaining Sith besats that Snoke commanded be slaughtered by the Shadow Alliance forces, who had rallied under Edaan from a chaotic and disorganized mess of various groups into a powerful and cohesive fighting force. Soon enough, the Jedi and their allies had killed or captured every member of the One Sith’s probing force except for Darth Sedriss, who was holding her own against the three highly seasoned warriors, Akku, Dinua, and Jarael.

 

*

 

Darth Sedriss was no longer in a gleeful mood, as the tide had turned against the One Sith, and the _schuttas_ that were Darths Mallues and Snoke had fled the battle, while the pathetic Darths Kitai and White Eyes were captured by the accursed Jedi and their Shadow Alliance allies. She couldn’t even take the satisfaction of taking down any of the three warriors that were keeping her from killing even one of the intruders of this sacred planet.

 

“It’s over, Sedriss. You’ve lost all of your allies, and you’re outnumbered. It would be wise for your health if you surrender the battle, as you will be treated with dignity and respect.” Jarael said in an attempt to end this battle without any further bloodshed.

 

Sedriss merely sneered at this plea, and sardonically said, “I’ve already been in the company of Jedi weakness before, and I refuse to be around weakness again. I’ll be back, and I’ll return with a terrible vengeance.” She then unleashed a terrible storm of Force Lightning, and, in a flash of light, disappeared, with her sadistic and maniacal laughter echoing over the halls.

 

After scanning the area for no additional enemies, as well as any traps that were set by the One Sith, the remaining Shadow Alliance forces took an hour to secure their two new prisoners, as well as get a number on the casualties that they had suffered from the ambush, which had reduced the strike force’s manpower was down to thirty-five Mandalorians, twenty Lost Tribe of the Sith Deserters, and forty Lasat infiltrators, the one-hundred-and-three men. This loss in manpower was a severe detriment to the mission, as the strike force still had over two thousand Sith to deal with, and was outnumbered over twenty times over, not counting the remaining thirteen thousand members of Natasi Daala’s Neo Death Watch.

 

“So, what do we do now?” Zeb seriously asked as he recalibrated his bo-rifle’s targeting array, while Adari, Butch, Edaan, Mirta, Dinua, Jaden, Jarael, and Sabine sat among the campfire.

 

“Well, first we need to extract every piece of information that we can get out of these two prisoners.” Sabine honestly replied before she saw Edaan’s hand twitch, and continued, saying, “But, I think that Edaan has something that he would like to say.”

 

“Thank you, Sabine.” Edaan gratefully said before he took a deep breath, saying, “I would like to talk to Vestara with just Adari, Jarael, and Butch present, as I have a plan to redeem her that is in full swing.”

 

After a moment of silence, Sabine said, “And, just why would we agree to such a ridiculous plan, Edaan? She should be interrogated by all of us, so that we can have a better chance of breaking her.”

 

“Because, Sabine, when I fought her in Dreshdae, I… implanted in her a piece of my life energy in order to push her to the Light Side. And I sense that it is working, as I can sense the conflict that’s brewing inside of her.” Edaan said after hesitating for a moment, causing everyone’s jaws, minus Adari’s and Jaden’s, as the two of them already knew, or, in Jaden’s case, suspected, of this particular talent that he possessed, to practically fall to the ground, as the others did not know of this ability that he possessed.

 

“Uh… Just how did you do that, Edaan?” Zeb said, obviously denying what he just heard.

 

“Through three ancient Jedi Holocrons that I discovered deep within the Jedi Archives, and learning and modifying an ancient technique that shields people from madness and Dark Side sorcery.” Edaan simply said, further confusing the non-force-sensitives among the group.

 

“Edaan, do you mean the Noetikons?” Jaden said as he immediately recognized what holocrons that Edaan was referring to.

 

“Exactly, Jaden.” Edaan said as he nodded his head in confirmation.

 

“And, just what exactly are these ‘Noetikons’ that you’re talking about?” Mirta said in confusion.

 

“Centuries ago, during the final years of the Cold War that followed the Great Galactic War, a young Jedi Knight that would eventually become the third Barsen'thor of the old Jedi Order rediscovered three ancient Jedi Holocrons, that, when put together, are the Noetikons, massive repositories of information on medicine, science, and Dark Side secrets. The Jedi Knight learned the ancient shielding technique in order to cure many Jedi, as well as a fallen Jedi Padawan and prominent Sith Lord, from the dark side plague of the spirit of a Sith Lord by the name of Terrak Morrhage, The holocrons were thougth to be lost after the Great Jedi Purge, but were eventually discovered in a secret part of Darth Sidious’s personal storehouse of Mount Tantiss on Wayland ten years ago.” Edaan explained to everyone.

 

“And, thanks to these holocrons, you developed your plan to redeem Vestara through transferring a portion of your essence into her when you confronted her in Dreshdae.” Sabine said, beginning to understand what Edaan was getting at.

 

“Exactly, Sabine.” Edaan said in confirmation, before he continued, saying, “And I’m willing to bet that Vestara is struggling on the inside, and the seeds of light that I planted are beginning to take root inside of her.”

“So, you plan to talk to her and redeem her? Does anyone else see anything wrong with that plan?” Zeb said, not willing to believe that he was the only one who felt this way.

 

“Zeb’s got a point, Edaan. You can’t bet all of your cards on one gamble, you need to have a back-up plan.” Sabine said in concurrence.

 

“Actually, I don’t have a backup plan, guys.” Edaan honestly said, surprising everyone who was present, as they all knew Edaan to think things through before leaping into the abyss. After a full thirty seconds, Edaan then said, “Guys, look. I’ve wracked my brain in trying to find a way to save Vestara, and this was the best plan that I could come up with. And, I still have two more cards to play in my plan to redeem Vestara.”

 

“Edaan…” Sabine said in disappointment as she tried to come up with a proper response, before she came up with a compromise, saying, “How about this? You can speak with Vestara and try to save her, but only with me and Mirta present, as we have experience dealing with Sith Lords.”

 

“Deal.” Edaan said, knowing that he wasn’t going to get a better deal with the Mandalorian brigade commander.

 

“Wait. What just happened?” Zeb said, not believing what just happened with him present.

 

“We just reached a compromise regarding my plan to save Vestara, Zeb.” Edaan simply said as he got up to prepare himself for his meeting with Vestara.

 

“Ugh. You people are all crazy.” Zeb said as he rose from his seat to check up on Akku and the rest of the team that was watching over their other Sith Lord.

 

“Well, now that that’s settled, Jaden, you ought to go check on Zeb to make sure that he doesn’t do anything stupid while the rest of us go to ‘talk’ with Vestara.” Edaan suggested, and Jaden, taking the hint, left the campfire to keep an eye on the Lasat military leader.

 

“Well, what do we need in order to make this insane plan of yours work?” Mirta asked, hoping to move the conversation along.

 

“We’ll need at least two IV bags for me and Vestara, and Jarael to keep an eye on each of our vital signs to make sure that we don’t dehydrate.” Edaan said in complete seriousness.

 

“I’ve got a surplus of those, so we don’t have to worry about supplies.” Jarael said in support of her longtime friend’s plan.

 

“Good. The next stage of my plan may take at least a couple of hours to put into effect, so I don’t want to take any chances. Now, I just need a bite to eat before I speak to Vestara, as I am starving and need the energy.” Edaan said, earning a couple of chuckles from Adari and Sabine.

 

_Twenty Minutes Later_

Darth Kitai was meditating deep within the Force in an attempt to reach Ship, but her efforts were blocked by an unknown force. She was so focused on her plottings that she failed to sense the presence of Edaan Palpatine until he sat down about five feet across from her. She heard the sound of the ground crunching beneath her, and opened her eyes to see the person who she despised almost as much as Ben Skywalker. “What do you want, _Jedi_?” She sneered out with half-conviction, as something within her could not keep her from putting her all in hating this Jedi.

 

“What I want, Vestara, is for you to hear me out.” Edaan replied, not at all phased by the Sith Lady’s venomous words, as a female Iskalloni appeared to start setting up a makeshift tent with IV units in said tent, confusing Kitai, who was further baffled when her former friend, Mandalorian commander Mirta Gev, appeared into her view, as well as Keshiri rebel Adari Thayn Palpatine, Mandalorian commander and old rebel freedom fighter Sabine Wren, and the tuk’ata who Edaan somehow recruited to his demented cause. Edaan then continued, saying, “The reason that you can’t reach out to your friend Ship is because I’m, for the time being, cutting you off from the Force. Now, this can go one of two ways: Either you listen to me and take what I’m about to show you into consideration, or we can continue to be enemies, and eventually killing each other as a result. It’s your choice.”

 

After taking a moment to fake-consider the matter, Kitai sighed in defeat and said, “What is it that you want to talk about?”

 

“Ever since we last met, you’ve been rather conflicted about the current path that you’re on, haven’t you, Vestara?” Edaan suddenly asked, surprising Kitai, as the Jedi was dead-on about the emotions that were churning through her.

 

“What about it, Palpatine?” she mockingly asked, not willing to give an inch of ground to the young man.

 

“Well, I know that you were affected by what I showed you about myself, but I didn’t show you _all_ of my memories.” Edaan cryptically said, surprising Kitai.

 

“Funny, I thought that the flashbacks that you showed me about you were very detailed, and that you covered everything about yourself.” Kitai skeptically said, while the rest of the women looked confused at Edaan’s words.

 

“Not everthing, Vestara. I kept the two of the most essential memories to my plan a secret from everyone, including Ben, because I knew that he wouldn’t understand at this point.” Edaan confessed, surprising Kitai before she put the pieces together.

 

“And let me guess, you want to share those memories with me?” Kitai said, seeing where Edaan was going with this.

 

“Indeed, Vestara. I know that you’re curious, because, as Ahsoka Tano once said, ‘To defeat your enemy, you have to understand them.’” Edaan said in a matter-of-fact tone.

 

“Let’s say that I am. What would it require?” Kitai said, not commiting to anything even though she was intrigued with what Edaan was saying.

 

“For you to open your heart and mind to the truth, and become the woman that you were meant to be.” Edaan said, annoying the Sith prisoner.

 

“Ugh. Alright. I’ll do it. Just no more Jedi-talk.” Kitai said, knowing that Edaan would not stop until she said yes. She then continued, asking, “How many memories will you share with me?”

 

“Just two, but two very powerful and precious ones to me, as they validated my hopes that you can be redeemed.” Edaan simply said as he got up, beckoning for Kitai to follow him into the fully-assembled tent.

 

After going inside, and lying on the ground across from Edaan, Kitai stoically said, “Hold on. Let me guess: You’re going to go inside my mind and show me visions of your past, just like last time.”

 

“Got it in one, Ves.” Edaan said, using Kitai’s old nickname that was used by both her childhood friend Ahri Raas, and the love of her life, then-Jedi Knight Ben Skywalker, which surprised her, as she had not heard that nickname in years.

 

“If you want to live, then don’t ever use that nickname again.” Kitai venomously said.

 

“Noted.” Edaan simply said as he instructed his old friend, saying “Okay, I’ve restored your connection to the Force. Now, I need you to clear your mind of all distractions, and allow me into your mind.”

 

Taking a leap of faith in this Jedi not to take advantage of her vulnerable state, Kitai emptied her mind of all thoughts, and allowed the powerful prescence of near-pure light into her soul. After that, nothing but pure brightness followed, and Kitai found herself being catapulted into the past, but to where, she did not know.

 

**Well, than ends yet another chapter in my exciting saga. Wow! I can’t believe that I wrote over two thousand words in this chapter on this day alone. I was really inspired here. Anyway, tomorrow, I get to buy Injustice: Ground Zero #4 at my local comic book store, and I know that it will be great. Oh, and, by the way, as of now, I have written over one hundred and sixty pages of material in this story alone, which is amazing. By the way, this next chapter will use A LOT of elements and characters from RC1115-06’s story, _The choices we make_. The chapter after that will be heavily influenced by the ebooks _Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Sentinel_ and _Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Pandemonium_. Just guess how I plan to use these three stories in my works. Anyway, I have little else to talk about today, so, please, read and review, as I could use some more critiquing. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	22. Chapter 21

**Good afternoon, all of my friends and followers. How are you doing on this fine day of January 19, 2017? I am doing well, as I had a good lunch over an hour ago, and I am ready to get back to writing, as I needed a little break in order to have some time to get some feedback from RC1115-06 and how to best use his characters in my story. In other news, I have got two job interviews next week, which is good, as I really need a job in order to make some money. So, once this chapter is finished, this story will be over ninety thousand words long, which is so hard to believe, because I have written so much in such a short time. To think that I have been writing this saga for almost a year when it seems like just yesterday that I started the first book. Oh, and, before I forget, I just found out that Injustice 2 is being released on May 17, 2017 through a trailer on YouTube that detailed part of the story mode of the game. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am hyped for this game, as I loved the first game and the comics about the game, and I have no doubt that the second game will be even better. Well, with all of the small talk out of the way, let’s get on with the story, as this next chapter is going to be quite the riveting one. I hope that you enjoy, as, by the time that I’ve written this chapter, I will have spent a lot of time and effort into writing it.**

**(January 20, 2017 Addendum) Hey, everyone! How are you doing on Inauguration Day? I am well, as I bought seven books from one of my local thrift shops, which are Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins’s The Jesus Chronicles: John’s Story: The Last Eyewitness and The Jesus Chronicles: Matthew’s Story, Larry Alexander’s Biggest Brother: The Life of Major Dick Winters The Man Who Led the Band of Brothers, George W. Bush’s 41: A Portrait of My Father, James Bradley’s Flyboys, John Ehle’s Trail of Tears: The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation, and Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom. These books are very promising, and I know that I will enjoy them very much. **

 

After what seemed to be an eternity, Darth Kitai’s eyes broke open, and she deeply inhaled as much oxygen as she could consume as she sat up to see a sight that she had not seen in years: a peaceful and untamed world that was rich in the Force, yet something was different about this world. The Force was neither aligned to the Light of Dark Sides of the Force, but the pivot between.

 

She was so lost in her reverie that she all but neglected to see Edaan Palpatine standing ten feet in front of her, his line of sight directed at a derelict building that looked quite similar to the Senate Tower on Corucsant, but with several ancient turrets guarding the structure that was built within the mountains.

 

Once Kitai saw Edaan, she said, “Edaan, what is this? Where are we?”

 

“Ah, good. You’re awake. I was worried that it would take another hour for you to wake up, as you were really knocked out.” Edaan said in relief as he turned to face her, before he continued, saying, “We are on the planet Odessen, the former capital world of the Eternal Alliance.”

 

“Odessen? I’ve never heard of that world. Where exactly is it?” Kitai curiously said as she got up from the ground and walked over to where Edaan stood, where she saw a single StealthX fighter perched in a nearby landing bay, along with a face that she immediately recognized as a younger Edaan, who couldn’t be older than thirteen years old, causing her jaw to drop as she stared at the young Jedi walk in to the structure through a old durasteel door. “Edaan, how-”

 

“It’s a long story. First off, this world is located in Wild Space, more precisely, a couple of parsecs away from the planet Jedha, and it was discovered during by Sith Lady Lana Beniko the Eternal Empire’s rule of the known galaxy, which was comprised of the Old Republic and the Resurgent Sith Empire. It then became the headquarters of the Outlander’s Alliance against Emperor Arcann and Empress Vaylin, the two subsequent rulers of the Eternal Empire after Valkorion’s physical body was destroyed. After the two rulers were defeated, and Valkorion’s spirit was finally banished to Chaos, the Alliance and Eternal Empire merged together to become the Eternal Alliance, which became a humanitarian and peacekeeping force across the galaxy.” Edaan said in a long-winded explanation, which confused Kitai, as she had never heard of the Eternal Empire, or the Alliance from Ship’s records and teachings.

 

“I’ve never heard of this Eternal Empire, or this ‘Outlander’s Alliance.’” Kitai disbelievingly said.

 

“Few have, especially since the old Jedi Order’s confidential records of the two powers were destroyed by the First Galactic Empire during Order Sixty-Six.” Edaan said, before he continued, saying, “Anyway, back to the current matter. What you are seeing is one of the two memories that I blocked from your mind when I gave you all of my memories. This memory was from eight years ago, when I felt a calling in the Force to make a blind jump into hyperspace to this planet. It was here where I made one of two discoveries that furthered my resolve to save you from yourself.”

 

“And those discoveries are?” Kitai skeptically asked, right before she saw another bright flash of light, and found herself in a tall building that must be within the mountain tower, with ruined consoles and monitors all around the room.

 

“Why don’t you just watch for yourself, Vestara?” Edaan said, in a tone that would brook no argument as he motioned for Kitai to look to her right, to see the thirteen-year-old Edaan walk into the room, with his lightsaber unlit in his hand as he slowly made his way into the room, where he looked around the large room as if he was hearing voices from all directions.

 

It was then that he heard a strong female voice that said, “ _You have heard our call._ ”

 

Edaan then whipped around, with his lightsaber lit in the direction of the voice, where he saw a young woman who appeared to be in her late thirtees or early forties, with blonde hair, pale skin, and was wearing a set of gray robes with silver shoulder pads and a lightsaber attached to her belt. But what truly shocked Kitai was the woman’s eyes: they were a bright yellow, a sign of the woman’s affiliation with the Dark Side of the Force. And yet, this woman seemed to be at peace, with no malice or anger directed at the young Jedi.

 

“Who are you? And what do you mean by ‘our call’? I can only sense you, Sith.” The image of the younger Edaan cautiously said, ready for a fight if it came to one.

 

“I was not the only one to call you to this planet, Edaan Palpatine. My husband was the second voice that you have heard for the last two months.” The mysterious Sith woman replied, causing Edaan’s eyes to harden as he kept his lightsaber lit.

 

“And just who would that be? Another Sith, I assume?” The thirteen-year-old skeptically asked.as he stood his ground.

 

“No. He’s a man that you and the Jedi Order should know all too well.” Lana said as another spectral image began to form, which revealed a man who appeared to be approximately thirty-three years old, had black hair, Jedi combat armor with a lightsaber attached to his belt, and was holding the hand of a blonde-haired young woman that couldn’t be older than thirteen years old.

 

Judging by the way that the Sith woman fondly and lovingly looked at the Jedi, Kitai astonishingly assumed that the two people were married, and that the child in the man’s arms was their own. She was so shocked at the couple standing in front of her, that she just had to ask Edaan just who those two were. “Edaan? What exactly am I looking at here?”

 

After warmly chuckling at the massive amount of surprise that Ktiai was feeling right now, Edaan said, “Well, Vestara, the man that just appeared is Davin Hawkes, the Jedi Order’s Hero of Tython, the commander of the Alliance that was against Zakuul’s Eternal Empire, and one of the first known Gray Jedi. The Sith woman that is next to Davin is Lana Beniko Hawkes, the former head of Sith Intelligence for Vitiate’s Sith Empire, the wife of Davin Hawkes, and the mother of their daughter, Kira Marr Hawkes.” After hearing those words, Edaan felt a massive amount of pain on his left cheek as he felt blood drip down on to his chin from the sharp nails that Kitai scratched him with.

 

“Don’t ever lie to me like that again, Edaan!” Kitai venomously hissed before she continued, disgustingly saying, “There is no way that a Sith and a Jedi would marry and have a child! It goes against the natural order of the universe.”

 

“That’s real funny, Vestara, because we both know that you once felt differently, and I know that deep down, you see the truth of my words. But, if you don’t believe me, then just listen to the conversation that’s about to unfold.” Edaan said before he motioned for him and Kitai to listen to the ongoing conversation between the past images of the three other Force-sensitves.

 

“I… I don’t understand. How can a Jedi and Sith have a child together? I thought that the two orders despised each other due to their different views on the Force.” The younger Edaan disbelievingly said.

 

“Well, young Jedi, that is only a fraction of the truth, because, just like the Jedi Order can produce some bad Jedi, two such Jedi of my time being Jedi Master Jun Seros and Jedi Knight Zylixx, the Sith can produce noble members of their order, such as Darth Sajar, Lord Praven, and Lord Calphayus of the Dread Masters before they defected to the Jedi, and my wife, the wise and beautiful Lana Beniko Hawkes.” Davin flatteringly said by the end as he lovingly looked at Lana, who humorously rolled her eyes at her husband’s fawning.  


“Davin, we talked about this.” Lana said with no heat in her tone as she then turned to face the Jedi Apprentice, and continued, saying, “We called you here because of your all-but immeasurable powerful connection to the Force, as well as your cause to redeem Sith Lady Vestara Khai.”

 

“How do you know of this?” The younger Edaan asked as he deactivated his lightsaber, not sensing any malice from either the Jedi or Sith.

 

“Because when we died, Edaan, our spirits came back to the planet where we fought against Valkorion and his offpsring’s Eternal Empire, and fell in love and married each other.” Davin replied, confusing both the younger Edaan and Kitai.

 

“I don’t understand? Who is Valkorion, and what is this Eternal Empire that you are talking about?” Edaan confusingly said as he adopted a puzzled look on his face.

 

“It is a long story, Edaan, but we will tell you of it, as it will help you in your journey.” Lana said as she and Davin began their tale of how Lana had met Davin during the Order of Revan Crisis, and how they fell in love over the next year before the cataclysm of Ziost that was caused by the disembodied spirit of Vitiate, the former Sith Emperor of the Reconstituted Sith Empire, and how Davin and Darth Marr discovered that Vitiate, under the form of Valkorion, a native of the planet Zakuul had built another empire, the Eternal Empire, to be more specific. Davin was then captured by Valkorion’s sole surviving son, Arcann, as well as his daughter, Vaylin, after Davin had destroyed Valkorion’s physical form. Davin was trapped in carbonite for five years while Arcann and Vaylin had conquered the known galaxy in that time, and was eventually rescued by Lana and his old friend and astromech droid, T7-01, and, with the help of many allies, formed a military coalition known as the Alliance, which caused Arcann to turn to the Light Side of the Force, while Vaylin was killed by Davin, and Valkorion’s spirit was destroyed by the combined efforts of Davin, Arcann, the spirit of Vaylin, and Senya, the former wife of Valkorion, and mother of Arcann and Vaylin. Once Valkorion was finally slain for good, the Alliance merged with the Eternal Empire to become the Eternal Alliance, and become a humanitarian and peacekeeping force across the galaxy. A few months afterwards, Davin proposed to Lana, who joyously accepted, and the two were soon married. One year later, they even had a daughter, who was named in honor of Davin’s old friend and former apprentice, Kira Carsen, and Darth Marr, a leading member of the Dark Council, and a firm patriot of the Sith Empire before he was killed by Valkorion.

 

After what must have taken at least two hours for Lana and Davin to finish their lesson, an astonished thirteen-year-old Edaan said, “I can’t believe what I am hearing. How did the two of you fall in love?”

 

“Well, it wasn’t easy, Edaan. We had our differences, but, over the course of our time together, we reached an understanding, and we quickly fell in love with each other.” Lana explained as she looked lovingly at Davin.

 

“So it _is_ possible.” Edaan whispered to himself as he took a step back at the implications that he had learned, and continued, saying, “I had almost given up hope on the promise that I made Vestara all of those years ago.”

 

“We know of the promise that you made, Edaan. And we’ve come to give you encouragement in these dark times, as well as tell you of what you need to do in order to stop the Sith, because they are causing so much strife across the galaxy, which will undo all of the efforts that Lana and I spent in trying to unite a broken galaxy.” Davin passionately said as the younger Edaan and Kitai listened intently to what the Gray Jedi and his Sith wife had to say.

 

“What do I have to do?” The younger Edaan said, now fully believing the two people, as they knew of the current state of the galaxy.

 

“You need a crew of loyal allies, and you must unite the galaxy in order to take the fight to the Sith. But, most importantly, you need to stay true to yourself and your principles, as the light within you will guide you throughout your darkest hours.” Lana said as she fondly recalled all of the battles that she and Davin fought together, and how then won through the help of their many allies, ranging from the old Imperial Intelligence agent simply known as Cipher Nine, Major Aric Jorgan, former Imperial Intelligence agent Kaliyo Djannis, former SIS agent Theron Shan, bounty hunter Rulmat Trannis, assassin droid HK-55, Mandalorian Torian Cadera, and smugglers Vette, Gault Rennow, and Hylo Visz.

 

“Wait, why are you helping me, Lana? You’re a Sith, so shouldn’t you be supportive of their endeavours to take control of the galaxy?” Edaan asked as he remembered just who he was talking to.

 

“Because I only want knowledge, truth, and understanding of the Force, while the rest of my successors only want power for power’s sake, and that is against everything that I stand for.” Lana passionately said as she wistfully recalled how Davin showed her that the Dark Side of the Force did not hold all of the answers that she sought, and that she needed the Light Side of the Force as well in order to be truly at balance, and find the answers that she sought.

 

“Good enough for me.” Edaan said as he felt the presence of his master, Ben Skywalker near his position, and he quickly said, “You two need to go now, or my master will find you, and he will not be pleased that I’m speaking with a Sith, even one as enjoyable as you, Lana. How can I contact you again?”

 

“You won’t. We’ll contact you when your need is greatest, and you’re in your darkest place. Until then…” Davin said before he hesitated, and he and Lana said together, “May the Force be with you.” The two Force ghosts then dissipated from the room, and Kitai felt the room around her vanish, leaving only whiteness and the twenty-one year-old Edaan Palpatine with her.

 

Kitai could not believe what she had just seen. A legendary Jedi Master and a powerful Sith Lady had, despite the galaxy against them, and during two galactic wars, fallen in love, and started a family together. It exacerbated the conflict and struggle that had begun within the twenty-nine year-old Sith Lady in the city of Dreshdae. She then turned to see two forms standing next to Edaan, and Kitai immediately recognized them, as she had just seen them. Standing right in fronr of her were the two lovers that had managed to defy all odds and succeed when she could not bring herself to do so, Davin and Lana Beniko Hawkes.

 

After taking a moment to gather her thoughts, Kitai despondently said, “Why are you here? Are you here to mock me for my failure to do what you succeeded in accomplishing?”

 

“On the contrary, Vestara Khai, we are here to offer you words of hope and encouragement.”  
Lana said as she tenderly looked at the younger Sith Lady.

 

“Like what? Like, ‘it’s never too late to turn away from the temptations of the Dark Side and all of that poodoo’?” Kitai mockingly said, knowing that at least Davin was thinking that.

 

“Vestara. I wasn’t going to say any of that. That’s what Edaan’s here for. What I was going to say to you was that you have lost an important piece of yourself when you left Ben, and Edaan is here to help you get it back.” Davin said in gentle rebuke to Kitai.

 

“Oh? And what ‘important piece of myself’, pray tell, did I lose?” Kitai asked, knowing that it would be some mushy answer like “love” or “compassion” as she began to walk away from the three Force-sensitives, hoping to escape from this nightmare of a vision.

 

“Hope.” Edaan simply said, which made Kitai stop dead in her tracks, and slowly turn around as a look of uncertainty and pain gripped her eyes.

 

“What?” Kitai gently asked as she stood as still as a statue.

 

“Yes, Ves. When you left Ben, your hope for the best died inside of you, and you only saw darkness as your future, with no way back to the light. But, like I wrote to you in Dreshdae, ‘When you fall, catch you I will.’ And that’s why brought you here, in order to show you that there is still hope for you and Ben.”

 

“It can’t be that simple. No one does something without expecting something in return.” Kitai said, still trying to cling on to her caution when the deepest core of her being begged her to go back to the love of her life.

 

Expecting a denial, Edaan simply said, “You are correct, Ves. I do have an ulterior motive for helping you, but it isn’t for myself. You already know the answer, as I showed you all of my visions about the galaxy being poisoned by the One Sith.”

 

“You mean the genocide of the Mon Calamari.” Kitai said as she realized that this Jedi was just like all of the others, only concerned with the fate of the galaxy.

 

“Yes, but that was just extra motivation for saving you, as I know that you are the key to stopping the ascendance of the One Sith, and finally putting an end to the five-thousand year-old war between our two peoples.” Edaan ferverently said, surprising Kitai as to how determined he was to end the constant wars that occurred between the Jedi and Sith.

 

“You’re one of those fanatics among the Jedi, aren’t you?” Kitai, asked, suspecting that Edaan wasn’t completely sane.

 

“Of course not, Ves. If I were to be a fanatic, then I would kill anyone who opposed my goals, and then I would be long dead.” Edaan nonchalantly answered before the spectral forms of Davin and Lana faded, and Edaan then said, “Now, I believe that we still have one more stop to make on my trip down memory lane before you’re ready to try to walk the path of the Light Side again.” With those words said, Kitai felt herself being catapulted further into Edaan’s mind, and like before, she was completely unprepared for it.

 

_Meanwhile, In the Shadow Alliance’s Camp Within the Catacombs of Korriban_

_1000 Hours_

 

“Well, Jarael, how are they holding up?” Sabine asked as she watched Zeb approach the four women and one tuk’ata.

 

“Well, apart from the scratches on Edaan’s cheek, both of their vitals are stable.” Jarael said as she wiped the sweat off of her brow.

 

“Good. Let us know if anything changes, sicne Adari’s getting really antsy.” Sabine said as she rose to meet Zeb. Once the two old friends were within speaking range, the Mandalorian commander asked, “Well, judging from the scowl on your face, I take it that our other friend isn’t cooperating?”

 

“Like you thought otherwise. We don’t know much about this Sith, but I will say this. Krayt certainly has his minions well-trained. So… how’s Edaan doing with his harebrained scheme?”

 

“So far, so good, Zeb. Nothing major’s happened with Edaan, so we’re taking that as a positive sign that his plan’s working. In the meantime, I’m letting the men lick their wounds and recover before the next engagement happens.” Sabine said as she looked out to her surviving teammates.

 

“Good. I’m not overly fond of Edaan, but I know that we need him alive if we’re going to pull this mission off.” Zeb said as he looked over to Adari, who was feeding Butch some of her rations, which the tuk’ata seemed to enjoy very much, with an amused Mirta looking on right next to Adari.

 

“At least you’re willing to work with him, old friend.” Sabine said as she looked to the ground and then said, “So… what are our chances of surviving this deathtrap of a planet, even if Edaan convinces Kitai- I mean Vestara, to help us?”

 

“Honestly, I don’t know, Sabine. We’ve never been in a position like this before, not even when we faced off against Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik above Lothal with his entire Seventh Fleet.” Zeb said before he continued, saying, “But, then again, we’ve never had so many users of the Force on our side, so if we can hold out long enough for the rest of the Shadow Alliance to come here, then we stand a chance of surviving.”

 

“Well, and here I thought that it was going to be easy.” Sabine jokingly said as she headed back to where Adari, Butch, and Mirta were sitting, only to be grabbed on the shoulder by Zeb.

 

“Hey, Sabine… If we’re going to die here, then I’m glad that it’s with you, old friend.” Zeb passionately said, causing Sabine to smile as she grabbed Zeb’s shoulder in a similar manner.

 

“Likewise.” She simply said before she walked back to the tent.

 

**And, cut! WOW! I can’t believe that I finished this chapter in just two short days. I guess that that’s what happens when I have oodles of free time, and a massive burst of inspiration. One again, I credit RC1115-06 for allowing me to use characters from his story, as well as reviewing this chapter for any improvements that could be made. Well, I am excited for tomorrow, as it is when the last episode of _Star Wars: Rebels_ premiers this January, and it promises to be a good build-up for the episode after that, which will hopefully take place on Mandalore. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe! **

**(January 23, 2017 Addendum) Sorry that it took so long to publish this chapter, but I had to wait for RC1115-06 to get back to me with how I can improve this chapter, and he helped quite a bit. He corrected a few minor errors that I made in my chapter, ranging from spelling errors to story errors. And, even though I don’t know when Kira Marr Hawkes dies in RC1115-06’s story, I wanted to portray her as a young teenager so that I could assume that the family lived well together for at least thirteen years. I don’t know what will happen with the next expansion, but I wanted to give hope to Edaan, so I’m just going to assume and hope for the best. Oh, and I changed the location of Odessen in my story from being near Fondor to being near Jedha, due to Odessen being close to Zakuul in Wild Space. Well, I guess that’s all for this chapter. I hope that you enjoy, and I look forward to writing more soon. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	23. Chapter 22

**Hello, everybody! I am so sorry that I took so long with writing this chapter, but I wanted to try and wait for RC1115-06 to get back to me on critiquing my previous chapter. Unfortunately, RC1115-06 took a while to respond due to a lack of communication on my part, so I figured that I’d at least get started on the next chapter of this story. So, I assume that you guys saw the latest _Star Wars Rebels_ episode, “Trials of the Darksaber” last night, because I did, and all that I can say is that that episode was very deep, and answered a lot of questions about Sabine’s past. This only has me hungry for more adventures with the Ghost crew, but it’s too bad that we all have to wait for four or five weeks before the next episode airs, and it promises to be a very exciting one. Anyway, today, on January 22, 2017, I finished another book, and tomorrow, I will start on another one. So, how are you all doing with school, as, so far, my grades are holding steady, which is good, as I am still a little nervous about this semester. Anyway, yesterday, I received a call from a local grocery store, and I set up a third interview for this week, so it looks like things are finally looking up for my prospects of finding a part-time job. **

**(6:03 PM Addendum.) Well, it seems that RC1115-06 didn’t know that I sent him a request to review my last chapter, and he’ll take a look at it tomorrow morning. Well, at least I can move on to the next chapter, which will be even more riveting than the last chapter. All that I can say before this chapter’s complete is that it will involve some theories that I have regarding the events after _Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Sentinel_ , and that this chapter will put in Vestara even more turmoil and doubt over the dark path that she’s on. Well, let’s get on with the story, as I know that all of you are anxious for more adventures with Edaan and his friends. **

**(January 23, 2017 Addendum) Well, today, I just had my first interview at a local movie theater, and I think that it went very well. Despite the fact that there were no available positions as an usher at the moment, I will be kept on file for any summer positons that they will have. Tomorrow, I have another interview at a local thrift store, and I have hope for that position, as it involves a bit of computer work, which I can learn very quickly.**

**(January 24, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everybody! How are you doing on this warm afternoon? I am doing well, as I had a two hour-long interview with a local thrift shop for a position as a person who lists the price of collectible items on EBay. Boy, is the job there complicated, but I think that, with a little training, I can pull it off. Now I just hope that I can beat out the competition, or I’ll have to keep looking for a job until at least the summer. Anyway, I just saw the solicitations for the April 2017 Star Wars comic books, and I have to say that they are quite intriguing. I can’t wait to buy them once they come out in graphic novel format, as it will save me quite a few dollars instead of buying each issue individually. By the way, have you guys seen the latest _Logan_ trailer, as it is phenomenal! I have high hopes for this R-rated movie, as it could be the last X-Men movie that we see Hugh Jackman in. Well, that’s all that I have for this addendum, so let’s get back to the story. **

_Meanwhile, Deeper Within the Catacombs of Korriban_

“I am most disappointed in the three of you.” Darth Wyyrlok said to Darths Malleus, Sedriss, and Snoke in a grave tone that was befitting of a teacher scolding three schoolchildren. He then continued to reprimand them, saying, “You had three of the best members of our order with oyu, and enough Sith beasts to overrun an entire city, and you failed to capture Edaan and the other leaders of this incursion. And, to make matters worse, you abandoned White Eyes and Darth Kitai to be the Jedi’s prisoners, which means that the Jedi will likely gain even more intelligence about us.”

 

“We were ambushed by Edaan and his minions. They took us by surprise. It won’t happen again, Lord Wyyrlok.” Sedriss stubbornly said, desperately wanting to get back out there and butcher as many traitorous Sith, Mandalorians, and Lasats as she could before she took Edaan and the other leaders of this strike force into Sith custody.

 

“You are right, Sedriss. It will not happen again, because this time, I will lead a force of fifty Sith to capture Edaan Palpatine and his comrades before they do any more damage to our master’s cause.” Wyyrlok said, causing Snoke and Sedriss’s eyes to widen in shock, while Malleus simply glowered in disappointment.

 

“WHAT?!? Lord Wyyrlok, this is ridiculous! Why should you involve yourself in such a trivial matter?” Sedriss protested before the Chagrian Sith Lord ignited one of his two lightsabers and held it right next to the neck of the Sith Lady.

 

“That ‘trivial matter’, as you so bluntly put it, Sedriss, managed to outmaneuver you, drive you back from your own ambush point, and killed Darth Morto and capture White Eyes and Darth Kitai. And, as you no doubt forgot, we are on a timetable, so, this time, I will personally handle capturing the Jedi, as, time and time again, he has proven to be a worthy adversary for Lord Krayt. I will have Darth See-Chok as my second-in-command, and the three of you will bring up the rear of our assault force. Understood?” Wyyrlok said in an extremely menacing tone, scaring Sedriss to the core of her murderous heart.

 

“Y-yes, Lord Wyyrlok.” Sedriss stuttered out, not wanting to lose her life to her superior’s fierce rage, and willing to wait a little while to get her revenge on Edaan for sabotaging her place in the One Sith’s hierarchy.

 

“Respectfully, my Lord, you may need to consider the possibility that Lady Kitai may turn against us, as we sensed a glimmer of doubt in her mind and soul before we were ambushed by the Shadow Alliance’s forces.” Snoke said as he was in a similar state of rage due to him being all but taken out of the mission, but more in control of his emotions and anger.

 

“That has been taken into account, Snoke, and if Kitai has indeed betrayed us, then she will suffer the consequences of her disloyalty.” Wyyrlok dispassionately said as he deactivated his active lightsaber and placed it back on his belt. He then continued to speak, saying “Now, prepare yourselves for the assault, as it will begin at exactly 1200 Hours.”

 

“Yes, Lord Wyyrlok.” The three disgraced Sith Lords simultaneously said, each Sith Lord eager to get their revenge on Edaan for humiliating them in Lord Krayt’s eyes.

 

_Meanwhile, Within Edaan Palpatine’s Sub Consciousness_

 

Darth Kitai, after falling for what seemed like a full day, fell face first into the dirt ground, which she quickly spat out as she said, “Edaan, you have got to teach me how to land softly on the ground so that I don’t get a face full of dirt. It’s really…” Kitai could not finish her sentence, as she looked up, and immediately recognized the sky as that of her home world, the Wild Space planet Kesh, which also was now-dead Lost Tribe of the Sith’s sole world in their possession.

 

“I assume that you were about to say ‘annoying’, Vestara?” Edaan nonchalantly said as he sat on a nearby rock, taking in the view of the yellow sky of the sun setting in what Kitai recognized as the Takara Mountains. “The sunset is really beautiful, Vestara, and the Takara Mountains are true works of art.” He then chuckled, afterwards saying, “Force, I sound like Grand Admiral Thrawn by talking about art like that.”

 

“Edaan, why are we here?” Kitai said, shocked that Edaan knew about the mountains named after the mother of Yaru Korsin, the founder of the Lost Tribe of the Sith.

 

“Because, Vestara, this is where I was when I saw the second couple that showed me that my dreams could one day become a reality.” Edaan earnestly said as he stood up and began to walk up the mountain, saying, “Well, are you coming or not, Ves, because we’re going to have to start walking now if we want to see the meeting between me and the two lovebirds that I ran into?”

 

Curious as to where Edaan was going with this, Kitai began to walk brusquely in order to catch up to Edaan and ask him, “I assume that this was when I had temporarily driven you and Adari’s band of rebels out of the city of Tahv?”

 

“You are correct, Vestara.” Edaan sagely said as he continued walking without breaking stride, and he said, “Do you remember what the Time of the Rot was for your people?”

 

Kitai was stunned by such a question, as she had no clue that Edaan had known about such a turbulent time in the Lost Tribe’s history, and she astonishingly said, “How could I not, Edaan. But I think that a better question would be to ask how in the galaxy did you come by this information, as I doubt that Adari had told you about it?”

 

“That is one of the reasons as to why we are here, Vestara.” Edaan cryptically said as he continued walking, confusing Kitai to no end, as Edaan was never this mysterious.

 

_Twenty Minutes Later_

Kitai was getting tired of Edaan not talking to her, as he usually loved to talk to her in an attempt to save her from the Dark Side’s tendrils. So, in a very annoyed and impatient tone, she asked, “Edaan, are we there yet?”

 

“Just about, Vestara. We’ll be there in two minutes, tops.” Edaan called out without breaking his stride.

 

“Good, because I am sick of getting the silent treatment from you.” Kitai angrily said, which surprised her, as she usually despised talking to Jedi and their minions.

 

“Funny, I thought that you hated my guts for my part in taking Kesh away from you, so I guess that I must be changing you for the better.” Edaan optimistically said as he began to slow down, hiding in the tall grass that was below a small hut within a nook within the Takara Mountains.

 

Kitai slowly came up behind him and asked, “Why are we here, Edaan? There’s nothing here except a small hermit’s hut.”

 

“It’s who’s inside the hut that we’re here to see, Vestara. Now, just be patient, and watch what happens next, because it will answer some much-needed questions about your ancestry, and the choices that you still have.” Edaan explained, much to Kitai’s irritation.

 

“What are you talking about, Edaan? Just who is in this…” Kitai’s questioning trailed off as she saw a StealthX fighter begin to land twenty feet from the hut, and a seventeen-year-old Edaan Palpatine emerged from the starfighter’s cockpit, further confusing the Sith Lady, but, once again deciding to put her trust in the twenty-one-year-old Edaan, waited, and, not even a minute later, the spectral forms of a man, a woman, and their two children. The man had blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a long ruddy scar that ran down from his right cheek down to his neck, while the woman had auburn hair and brown eyes, and each of the two children had bright red hair and blue eyes. Both the man and woman appeared to be around thirty-five years old, while the children were, to Kitai’s trained eye, around the age of eight years old.

 

As the younger Edaan began to approach them, the woman said, “Well, well, well. Who would have thought that the person who answered our call through the Force would be such a young Jedi, and an extremely powerful one at that? The Force does work in mysterious ways.”

 

“Thank you, ma’am. Who might you be?” The younger Edaan graciously said, surprising Kitai, as she expected him to ignite his lightsaber in defense against who had to have been a Sith spirit, as there were no Jedi on Kesh before the Jedi Order’s invasion of Kesh.

 

“Well, Edaan Palpatine, my name is Orielle Kitai Marrian, but you can just call me ‘Ori.’” The Sith spirit said, which shocked Darth Kitai, as that was the same last name as the deceased Grand Lady of the Sith, Candra Kitai, as well as the name that she had chosen for herself when she became a member of the One Sith. Her shock escalated when she heard Orielle say the following words, “And right next to me is my lovely husband, Jelph Marrian, a former Jedi Knight and member of the long-dead Jedi Covenant. Oh, and our two beautiful children, Darius and Takara Marrian. ”

 

Darth Kitai could not believe what she had just heard: A member of her own people, and the daughter of a Grand Lady, no less, had taken in and married a Jedi Knight of a sect that was dedicated to destroying all things Sith, and had even sired two children with him. She found herself uttering to Edaan, “H-how can this b-be?”

 

“Would you rather hear it from me, Ves, or from Ori and Jelph themselves?” said the twenty-one year-old Jedi Knight, who motioned for Darth Kitai to continue listening in on the ongoing conversation.

 

“So, yet another couple put aside their ideological differences to find love, huh?” Edaan said as a small grin came upon his face.

 

“Ah, yes. You saw Davin Hawkes and Lana Beniko about four years ago on Odessen.” Jelph said in a tone that befit someone discussing the weather, before Orielle adopted a grimly serious look on her face.

 

She then said, “Edaan, listen carefully. If you want to save Vestara Khai from the same path that my mother fell into, and that I nearly took, you must hear our story, as it is the key to saving her from the darkness that is consuming her.”

 

“Well, I’ve got a few hours to kill before I have to get back to the resistance base, so I’d be honored to hear your story.” Edaan gratefully said as he sat down on a nearby rock.

 

As the couple told their story, with Darth Kitai and the twenty-one-year-old Edaan listening intently, the living Sith Lady’s emotional turmoil increased exponentially, as she learned how the deceased Grand Lady of the Sith, Lillai Venn, had framed Orielle and Canrda for an attempted assassination attempt on her life, condemned them to slavery, and forced Orielle to hide out with Jelph in his farm, where she discovered his affiliation with the Old Republic and Jedi Order through his personal starfighter. She then informed her mother, who told her how to get in contact with the High Lords that opposed Grand Lady Venn’s rule, and, after a brief scuffle with Jelph, renounced the Dark Side, and the two of them acknowledged their feelings for each other. The two lovers then, after discovering that Candra betrayed her own flesh and blood in exchange for what Orielle called “Improved working conditions”, which completely disgusted Darth Kitai, as she valued family immensely, stopped Grand Lady Venn’s attempt to escape Kesh by causing Jelph’s starfighter to explode, which was later called the Night of the Upside-Down Meteor in Keshiri history, and subsequently led to the thousand years of turmoil and chaos that was dubbed the Time of the Rot. Even more baffling, Darth Kitai learned that, after Jelph learned about the Jedi Civil War, the two resolved to forget their past lives, and live in exile together, where they founded a family of three children.

 

“But wait.” The younger Edaan said, interrupting the reminiscence from the couple, saying, “You said that you had three children. But I only see Darius and Takara. What happened to the third child?”

 

After Edaan uttered those words, the four Force Ghosts adopted a melancholy look, and Jelph despondently said, “Ulic was the oldest child that we had, and he was the strongest of our children in the Force. He was also the darkest of our children, and as he grew older, he grew more and more hungry for power, and eventually fell to the Dark Side of the Force at the age of sixteen. He then betrayed us to the Lost Tribe, who then killed all of us, and eventually took the last name of Khai, which led to the family tree that birthed Vestara Khai.”

 

Both the younger Edaan and Darth Kitai’s jaws fell agape at hearing these words, and the older Edaan noticed that Kitai’s eyes were watering with tears of heartbreak and sympathy that seemed ready to fall.

 

“Vestara, are you okay?” The older Edaan gently asked, willing to cut off the memory of this painful experience if she asked to.

 

“Edaan, that is the most stupid question that I’ve ever heard. Of course I’m not okay.” Darth Kitai whimpered out, the tears starting to fall as she spoke.

 

“Do you want me to stop the memory and have us return to the realm of the living?” Edaan asked, shocked when the Sith Lady shook her head in a silent denial.

 

“No, Edaan. I need to see this through to the end so that I can find out just what’s wrong with me.” Darth Kitai whispered as she silently shook from the emotional pain that she was suffering at this moment.

 

“Very well.” Edaan solemnly said as he turned his head back to the conversation that was going on between the four Force Ghosts and young Jedi Apprentice.

 

“So, what words of wisdom do you have to impart upon me?” Edaan asked as he got up from the rock that he was sitting on.

 

“That you are on the correct path, Edaan. You have gathered a wide array of friends and allies, and that you could undo the legacy of mistrust and pain that your ancestor created for so many decades. And that the time to strike out on your own to save our descendant draws near, as you will have to leave the Jedi Order to pursue your destiny.” Orielle cryptically said, confusing the younger Edaan.

 

“What? I don’t…” The seventeen-year-old Jedi said before he sensed the truth in the former Sith Saber’s words, and then said, “How will I know when it is time to leave?”

 

“When you see the seas boil, and billions of lives die in a Sith-purported genocide.” Orielle vaguely replied, further confusing the younger Edaan, while Darth Kitai realized that Edaan’s visions of the genocide of the Mon Calamari was only further motivation for his quest to redeem her.

 

“Well, that’s _so_ much help.” The younger Edaan sarcastically said as he then bowed in gratitude to the former Jedi and Sith, and then said, “I appreciate everything that you’ve told me, and I hope to one day see the two of you again.”

 

“I’m afraid that you won’t see us again, Edaan. But, we will speak with Vestara when you bring her to her lowest point on Korriban, and you must not be there when we speak with her, as she will need us, as well as Revan and Tau in order remember what she could be.” Jelph said as he began to fade away, with Orielle, Darius, and Takara quickly following.

 

“May the Force be with you, Edaan Palpatine.” Darius and Takara simultaneously said as the family completely faded away, with the younger Edaan quickly following as the memory ended, and Darth Kitai and Edaan found themselves in a fully white room.

 

“Edaan? What happens now?” Kitai hesitatingly asked, dreading whatever answer the young Jedi Knight would say.

 

“Now, Vestara, you meet with your ancestors, as well as two of my true masters, the former Force Hound Tau, and the legendary Jedi Master and Sith Lord Revan.” Edaan said before he took a deep breath, and continued, saying, “But, before I go, I have to tell you something that you no doubt already know: When I was first accepted into the Jedi Order, most people were understandably afraid of me, and some of my fellow Jedi persecuted me for my bloodline. But, you, of all the people, not Luke Skywalker, or any of his family members, showed me compassion and understanding. _You_ showed me not who I came from, but, rather, who I could be. _You_ showed me hope when I had none, and _you_ kept me going when I had nothing else to fight for. I always have, and always will, believe in you, even if, right now, you have no faith in yourself. May the Force be with you for what comes ahead, because I will not be there to protect you.” Edaan said as he slowly faded away, leaving only a very scared Sith Lady alone in this unknown realm.

 

“Edaan? EDAAN?!?” Kitai shouted, full of fear as she knew that she would have to confront her personal demons when she faced the four individuals that began to form in front of her. Two of them she immediately recognized as Jelph and Oriele Kitai Marrian, as she had just seen them not a minute ago, with their farmers’ clothing and distinct features. Not even a moment later, she realized the third figure as, Revan, who was perhaps the most legendary Jedi and Sith Lord of all time, with his Mandalorian mask, distinct armor, and lightsaber attached to his belt. The fourth figure was clothed in ancient combat armor, had a uniquely formed lightsaber attached to his belt, and had the letter “Xesh” tattooed on his face, and who Kitai could only assume to be Tau, the other of Edaan’s dead masters that she would have to face.

 

_Meanwhile, Back in the Shadow Alliance’s Camp on Korriban_

_1100 Hours_

 

Adari, Sabine, and Mirta were beyond shocked when Edaan walked out of the tent that still housed Darth Kitai, and they were further shocked when Edaan, as Butch came up to greet his master, simply said, “What? The three of you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

 

“Edaan, are you okay? You’ve been out for about four hours, and everyone was starting to worry, even Zeb, and he hates your guts? And where’s Vestara?” Sabine asked, surprised that Edaan was awake and moving again after lying on the ground for so long.

 

“Vestara will be awake soon. She has some past ghosts that she needs to address in order to wake up.” Edaan said, causing Adari to look concerned upon hearing those words.

 

“Edaan, what did you do?” Adari asked, dreading the answer that would follow her question.

 

“Don’t worry, Adari. I haven’t done anything wrong. Vestara just needs to talk to a few of my old friends from beyond the grave, and then she’ll awaken a changed woman.” Edaan said in a calming tone, which seemed to calm his wife.

 

“How long do you think that that will take, because we need to get moving soon before the Sith try and attack us again?” Mirta concernedly said, as she did not look forward to fighting more of the One Sith’s forces.

 

“Well, Mirta, if I were to venture a guess, I would say up to half an hour.” Edaan replied, which reassured Sabine, as she was eager to resume the mission soon.

 

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll get Zeb and Jaden to start preparing the men to move again. In the meantime, you, Adari, Butch, and Jarael can watch over Vestara while Mirta and I help pack up all of the supplies.” Sabine said as she checked her Mandalorian vambraces in order to make sure that they were functioning at full capability.

 

“Agreed.” Edaan said as he sat down on the rock that the three ladies formerly sat on, with Adari joining him, and Butch sitting right below the Jedi Knight.

 

_Meanwhile, In Darth Kitai’s Subconsciousness_

 

Upon seeing the look of fear that gripped Darth Kitai’s face, the ghost of Orielle Kitai tenderly said, “Be at peace, Vestara Khai. We have not come to harm or judge you. We only want to talk with you as friends and equals.”

 

“You’ll forgive me if I take your words with a bit of caution.” Kitai frightfully said as she took a step backwards.

 

“Vestara, if we were going to kill you, we would have done so by now, as, despite your powerful connection to the Force, you cannot hope to beat all four of us.” said the spirit of Revan.

 

“So, talk. What is it that you want to say to me?” Kitai asked after she took a few calming breaths to center her frazzled mind.

 

“We only want to tell you our stories, an offer you words of encouragement and hope in order to prevent you from continuing down the road to perdition that you are currently on.” Tau said in a calm, cool, and collected tone.

 

“Fine. If it’ll get me out of this nightmare.” Kitai exasperatingly said as she crossed her arms over her chest, and then said, “So, who’s going to tell me their story first?”

 

“I will.” Tau said as he stepped forward, and told Kitai his tale. To say that she was aghast at his life as a slave of the Rakatan Infinite Empire putting it lightly, as she had no idea that the Rakata were so brutal to their charges. They far surpassed any amount of cruelty that the Sith under her charge had committed. But, what truly surprised her was how he came to the Deep Core world of Tython, the birthplace of the Jedi Order, and how he freed himself from enslavement during the events that led up to and during the First Force War due to the love and compassion that a Je’daii Journeyer, and later, Je’daii Ranger, Shae Koda, showed him. The two later married after the Infinite Empire’s failed invasion of the Tython System, and eventually left the Tython System with the rest of the newly formed Jedi Order after the Second and Third Force Wars caused the collapse of the Je’daii Order.

 

Revan followed next, and his tale was at least as tragic as Tau’s life story was, if not more so, as he was the perfect example of a tragic hero. He first rose to prominence during the Mandalorian Wars after he led a significant faction of Jedi against the Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders, despite the Jedi High Council’s decree that no Jedi would enter the war. After he won the war for the Old Republic over Malachor V, he and his longtime friend and comrade, Malak, discovered Vitiate’s Sith empire, and were then corrupted by Vitiate on Dromund Kaas, and triggered the Jedi Civil War before Revan’s memories were wiped and reprogrammed by the Jedi High Council, and, after he recovered his memories and fell in love with fellow Jedi Padawan Bastilla Shan, he killed Darth Malak, almost single-handedly ending the Jedi Civil War, before he married Bastilla Shan and gave her a son by the name of Vaner Shan. However, before Vaner was born, Revan’s returning memoires forced him to return to Dromund Kaas after helping his friend and comrade, Mandalorian Canderous Ordo, become Mandalore the Preserver in order to lead his people in the event that Vitiate invaded the Old Republic. Ironically, as Kitai knew from the lessons that Mirta taught her, the Mandalorians, other than a handful of clans before being crushed by the Mandalorians that were loyal to Ardus Lok, better known as Mandalore the Vindicated, aided the Sith Empire near the end of the Great Galactic War, and the Galactic War that followed. HE was imprisoned by a Dark Council member named Darth Nyriss, but managed to recruit one of her allies who went by the name of Lord Scourge, and, with the help of legendary Jedi Knight Meetra Surik, also known as the Jedi Exile, a hero of the Mandalorian Wars and the Sith Civil War that followed the Jedi Civil War, and Revan’s loyal astromech droid, T3-M4 managed to break Revan out of Nyriss’s prison. The four of them then planned to kill Vitiate before he could carry out his insane plan to invade the Old Republic and consume all life in the galaxy, but, as they confronted the Sith Emperor, T3 was destroyed beyond repair by Vitiate, and Scourge, acting on a vision of seeing Davin Hawkes, the Hero of Tython and the Eternal Alliance’s commander, killing Vitiate for good, killed Meetra, and helped the Emperor imprison Revan for nearly three hundred years. Throughout those years, the Emperor tried to break Revan’s mind, but with the help of the spirit of Meetra, Revan endured, although his mind was fractured as a result of Vitiate’s mind probes. After he was freed at the beginning of the Galactic War, he was briefly killed by Sith forces, but his dark half was set free, took over the cult-like Order of Revan, and planned to kill the Emperor once and for all. Unfortunately, thanks to the combined efforts of Darth Marr, Satele and Theron Shan, Lana Beniko, Shae Vizla, Davin Hawkes, and the combined efforts of Sith and Republic forces loyal to the Dark Councilor and Jedi Grand Master, were able to defeat Revan’s dark half, but were not able to stop the Emperor’s resurrection. After the battle, Revan’s light half, which had embraced the Light Side of the Force and embraced death, convinced the dark Revan to join with him in order to become One with the Force, and the fully healed Revan was never heard from again until he became one of Edaan Palpatine’s secret masters.

 

“I… I don’t know what to say to the two of your stories.” Kitai said as she struggled to process how these two individuals managed to fight tooth and claw to escape the all-consuming maw of the Dark Side.

 

“You don’t have to say anything, Ves.” Jelph gently said as he began to approach Kitai, with Orielle following him. “Just open yourself to the Light Side of the Force, and your wounds that you’ve carried for so long will finally begin to heal.”

 

“Oh, I’m not the innocent girl that I once was.” Kitai replied before she opened her heat and confessed, “You know, I tried to come back to the Light before I became the Grand Lady of Kesh, but it almost overwhelmed me. I felt the collective anguish across the galaxy, and it nearly drove me mad.

 

“You’re afraid, and the Force knows it.” Orielle said, no to insult her, but as a matter-of-fact.

 

After nodding in agreement, Kitai whispered, “All of those thoughts and voices… So… much… _pain_.”

 

“It’s not their pain that you’re afraid of, Ves. It’s yours.” Jelph began, further emotionally hurting the Sith Lady before he continued, gently saying, “But, as frightening as that pain may be, it will make you stronger if you accept it, embrace it, and let it drive you towards the Light. It will make you more powerful than you can ever imagine, just like it did for Edaan.”

 

“Wh-what are you talking about?” Kitai said, shocked that a former Jedi would even consider saying such a heretical thought, as everyone knew that Sith, not Jedi, feed off of their pain in order to strengthen themselves.

 

“How do you think that Edaan managed to recruit so many people to his cause of saving you?” Orielle asked before she continued, saying, “He did it by taking on their pain, as well as his own that he suffered from the persecution that the two of you endured, and using it to drive himself forward in order to achieve his goals. He takes their pain, transforms it into love and compassion, as he has the greatest capacity for love that I’ve ever seen, and he changes people for the better. It’s the greatest gift that he has, to bear the pain of others without breaking. And it’s born from two of the most primordial powers that exist: Love,” Immediately after that word was uttered, images of Edaan with his family, and images with Adari, appeared, and they caused Kitai to shed many tears at how happy the young Jedi seemed. Orielle then continued, saying, “and hope.” Right after she finished speaking, more images appeared, and they showed Edaan talking with all kinds of mercenaries, criminals, assassins, and even Sith Lords and Ladies, and changing them for the better, and she even felt the immense hope that Edaan carried inside of his heart, which allowed her to finally see why he had so much faith in her. Her reverie was interrupted by the words of her ancestor, who practically pleaded to her descendant, “Please. Vestara, we need you to hope again.”

 

With those words uttered, Orielle, Jelph, Tau, and Revan began to fade away, and all of them said to Kitai, “Vestara, may the Force be with you.” After they completely faded away, Kitai found herself in a black space, and she quickly opened her eyes, and she jolted upwards, panting heavily as she felt countless tears falling down her face, which she quickly wiped away in order to make sure that no one saw her.

 

“Ah, I see that you are awake, Lady Khai. As you no doubt know, my name is Jarael Chantique. Edaan will be pleased to know that you are well. He’s been awake for the past twenty-five minutes.” Said a female digitized voice, which caused Kitai to turn to see a female Iskalloni dressed in a doctor’s uniform that Kitai immediately recognized from the intelligence reports, and then look down at the IV tube that was attached to her arm.

 

After what seemed like an eternity, and waiting for Jarael to take out the IV tube and bandage her up, Kitai waveringly said, “Yes. Yes I imagine that he will be pleased to see me.” She then stood up, took a deep breath, and exited the tent, carefully considering what she would say when she saw Edaan.

 

**And, that ends the latest chapter in my story. So, what did you guys think of this chapter, as I put a lot of time and effort into writing this piece of literature? Well, I am so glad that this chapter is over, as, very soon, we can get back to the action and adventure of this saga. I hope that you enjoyed the _Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith_ references, as well as the use of Charles Xavier’s speech in the hit movie, _X-Men: Days of Future Past_ , as the latter was a rather spontaneous decision on my part. So, in other news, RC1115-06 just updated his story, “The choices we make”, and the latest chapter is excellent. He even credited me with using his characters in my story, and how I influenced his work. I can’t thank him enough for allowing me to use my stories, or I would have been stymied by a lack of ideas. I hope that the Force is always with him and his writings. Oh, an, I had another job interview today, which is January 25, 2017, at a distant Harris Teeter, and although I probably won’t get a job there, it was good interview experience for future interviews. So, with all of the small talk out of the way, May the Force be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	24. Chapter 23

**Hey, Star Wars Expanded Universe lovers! How are you doing on this cold Saturday, January 28, 2017? I am doing alright, as I am recovering from a little sickness that I had for a few days, and am finally on the mend. But, as a word of warning, this chapter will take a lot longer to write, due to me being sick for the last couple of days, and because I have to make up the next chapter as I go along. Oh, and last night, I went to Brio’s with my team from my last semester’s communication class, the professor from said communication class, and the professor’s wife, and the food there was spectacular. By the way, in other excellent news, two fanfictions that I love were updated within the last fifteen hours, and those fanfictions were Iron117Prime’s _Worlds Collide_ , and MandoCommander’s _Star Wars: Rebels: The Promised Day_. So, how are you guys enjoying the comic book series, _Injustice: Ground Zero_? I am enjoying it very much, but just one thing is bothering me. About two or three chapters ago, Doctor Fate returned in the Tower of Fate, which confused me, as I thought that he was cast into Oblivion along with Trigon and that disgusting and selfish lunatic, Mr. ** **Mxyzptlk. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that he’s still alive, but the people in charge of writing this comic book series should probably have written that chapter better. Anyway, did you guys see the latest _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ cinematic trailer, because I did, and it was magnificent. I hope that the game lives up to all of the hype, or I will be sorely disappointed. So, one more thing to discuss. I recently pre-ordered the Blu-ray version of the 2016 version of _Ben-Hur_ , which only cost ten dollars on amazon, by the way, and _Mass Effect: Andromeda: Nexus Uprising_ , _Naruto: Sasuke’s Story: Sunrise_ , _Naruto: Itachi’s Story, Vol. 1: Daylight_ , and _Star Wars: Thrawn_ , all for the affordable price of just under sixty dollars, so I got all of these books at a steal. Oh, I just realized that, as of this point, I’ve surpassed ninety-eight thousand words in this story alone, and I’m nowhere near done with this story. Anyway, with all of the small talk out of the way, let’s get started on this chapter, as I know that you guys are just dying for some action. But, I must warn you, it will probably begin at the end of this chapter, so I humbly ask all of you to just be patient for just a little longer. **

**(January 30, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everyone. Sorry for adding an addendum to this chapter, but I had some news that I was just dying to share with you guys. As of today, I have discovered that I can play _Dragon Age: Origins: Ultimate Edition_ on my Xbox One, and I have played it for at least an hour today alone. In addition, I’ve learned that _Injustice: Gods Among Us_ can be played on Xbox One as well, so once I’m done with _Dragon Age_ , I’ll move on to that game, and then go back to _The Witcher III: Wild Hunt_. Oh, and I’ve dealt with a bit of homework today, so I’m sorry if I didn’t write too much today. One more thing, as of now, I think that I have finally beaten my minor illness, which is a relief, as I was tired of sitting around at home all day for the last few days. Well, that about covers everything. I’d better get back to writing, as I know that you guys are eager for more of my story.**

_Meanwhile, In the Mandalore System, Onboard the_ Megador

_1125 Hours_

 

Ben Skywalker was quite a busy man right now, as he was busy with Jedi Council members T’ra Saa and K’Kruhk, along with Mandalorians Venku Skirata, Ghes Orade, Goran Beviin, the Shadow Allaince’s Supreme Commander, the Bothan Nek Bwua’tu, Confederacy Admiral Treast Kre’frey, Hutt Lord Azzim Anjilic Atirue, former Neo Death Watch captain Armand Vorn, and Wraith Squadron Leader Voort sa Binring, who was more commonly known by his friends as “Piggy”, were preoccupied with planning the troop deployments for the upcoming Siege of Korriban, as well as dealing with the twenty-five hundred Yuuzhan Vong warriors and mercenaries that were arriving in the Mandalore System to reinforce the Shadow Alliance’s weakened armies. It was when he was discussing the initial assault on the city of Dresdae in order to cripple the One Sith’s ground armies that he felt a massive surge of anguish, heartbreak, and grief emanate from a planet the Ben had only been to once before: the Sith tomb world of Korriban.

 

After excusing himself from the meeting, Ben went to a nearby room, and contacted his father through his personal Holonet device, and an image of the aged Luke Skywalker came into view, and he had an equally grim look on his face as he spoke, saying, “ _I assume that you felt that powerful disturbance in the Force, Ben?_ ”

 

“Got it in one, Dad.” Ben confirmed before he continued, gravely saying, “I know that I wasn’t Edaan, as he is full of too much hope for him to succumb to the Dark Side, but that likely means that Vestara was the one who was emitting all of those intense emotions, which probably means that Edaan managed to reach her, and is making her life a living Hell as he tries to redeem her back to the Light Side of the Force.”

 

“ _I thought that you would be pleased that Vestara is emotionally suffering as payback for all of the pain that she caused this family, Ben._ ” Luke said in an appraising tone.

 

“I’ll admit that at first I was a little happy.” Ben confessed before he continued, saying, “But now I just want Ves back with us… and with me. Please don’t think less of me, Dad.”

 

“ _Ben, of course I don’t. It’s natural that you miss Vestara. And, if Edaan’s plan works, then you might be able to reconcile with her. But don’t forget that she has much to answer for during her twelve years as a Sith Lady._ ” Luke gently said.

 

After sighing in depression, Ben said, “I know, Dad. But I just can’t shake the feeling that the worst is yet to come, and the siege of Korriban hasn’t even begun yet.”

 

“Well, Ben, when all else fails, trust in the Force. It worked for Jyn Erso and her band of rebels that called themselves ‘Rogue One’ when they broke into the Imperial Data Vaults of Scarif in order to get a complete set of schematics for the first Death Star while Operation: Skyhook was entering its final stages.” Luke said as he recalled the illegal mission to Scarif that, despite the support of Admiral Raddus and his portion of the Rebel Fleet, resulted in the two Star Destroyers being destroyed, the deaths of Imperial Director of the Advanced Weapons Research, Orson Callan Krennic, and all of the members of Rogue one when the _Conqueror_ , the prototype Star Destroyer with a superlaser powerful enough to destroy a continent or a small moon, fired its superlaser on the surface of Scarif, killing everyone, both Imperial and Rebel, that was within range of the blast, but not before the last two members of Rogue One managed to transmit a complete set of plans for the first Death Star into space, and, before the bulk of the remainder of Admiral Raddus’s ship was destroyed by the _Conqueror_ and the fleet accompanying it, the Admiral was able to transmit the plans to the Tantive IV, which was currently above the planet of Toprawa, receiving another complete set of plans from the Rebel extremist Bria Tharen and her Red Hand Squadron.

 

“Well, let’s hope that we don’t have to go to such lengths in order to achieve our goals.” Ben said as he chuckled in amusement, and he then said, “Thanks, Dad. I’ll… try to remember that.”

 

“ _That’s all that I can ask for, Ben. May the Force Be With You, my son._ ” Luke said as he closed the Holonet channel down, leaving Ben alone with his thoughts as he prepared to return to the meeting with the other high-ranking members of the Shadow Alliance.

 

_Concurrently, On Korriban, Deep Within Darth Krayt’s Citadel_

 

“My lord, I assume that you felt that powerful disturbance in the Force?” Darth Wyyrlok dutifully asked his master, Darth Krayt, the Dread Lord of the Sith, who was covered from head to toe in Vonduun Crab armor, and had two lightsabers that made of Yuuzhan Vong yorik coral attached to his armor, who was standing above the kneeling Chagrian Sith Lord.

 

“Indeed, Lord Wyyrlok. It would seem that Edaan Palpatine has managed to break Vestara Khai, and is all but done with bringing her over to the Shadow Alliance’s side. So, now your mission has two more objectives: Capture Vestara, alive and well, if you can, as I still have a few uses for her, and, more importantly Doctor Aphra needs more test subjects for our growing army of Sith Troopers, and bring back White Eyes so he can return to serving under your command.” Darth Krayt said as he ordered his regent and right hand.

 

“It will be as you command, my lord.” Wyyrlok loyally replied without a trace of emotion in his voice.

 

As Wyyrlok was about to exit the chamber, Darth Krayt called out to him, forebodingly saying, “And do not forget, Wyyrlok, that failure can no longer be tolerated for any member of the One Sith, including you, my loyal friend.”

 

Understanding the underlying threat in that message, Wyyrlok said, “Do not worry, my master. This time, I will leave nothing to chance, and direct the assault personally.” With that said, he left the citadel in order to finish preparing the fifty-man Sith strike force that would, in thirty-five dwindling minutes, head out to capture Edaan, Vestara, Jaden Korr, and as many leaders of the Shadow Alliance’s strike force as possible, as well as retrieve White Eyes.

 

_Meanwhile, in the Shadow Alliance’s Camp within the Catacombs of Korriban_

 

As Darth Kitai walked out of the tent, with Jareal Chantique close behind her in order to make sure that she did not try to kill anyone, the Sith Lady was in deep contemplation over what she had just witnessed within the deep recesses of her mind: In at least two instances, a male Jedi and a female Sith had fallen in love, managed to surpass their differences, marry, and even start families together before they died. She even managed to speak with two legendary Dark Siders, the former Force Hound Tau and reformed Sith Lord Darth Revan, that managed to fight tooth and claw against the Dark Side, and emerge from their struggle firmly placed in the Light Side of the Force before they died and became One with the Force, and with families of their own.

 

The conversations that she had with the four individuals, as well as Edaan Palpatine, had deeply affected her down to the core of her soul, as she felt emotions that she thought that she had managed to destroy, or at least suppress, such as doubt over the path that she had taken over the last twelve years, compassion and empathy for Edaan and his friends for the struggles that they had gone through in order to find and try to save her, regret over all of the lives that she had taken or destroyed in her lust for power and revenge, and, worst of all, heartbreak over betraying Ben Skywalker’s trust and love, and not even facing up to her past transgressions.

 

These five emotions were tearing her apart from the inside out, and she knew that only one person could help her make sense of all of this confusion was the Jedi who started this whole mess to begin with. As she approached the area where she sensed where Edaan was, she briefly stopped to see who the young Jedi was talking to, and was surprised to see legendary Mandalorian Vindicator Briagde commander Sabine Wren, the Lira San’s Navy, Garazeb Orrelios, and an orange astromech droid that Kitai realized was C1-10P, better known as Chopper, the three of them former comrades of Sith Lord Darth Snoke; her former friend, Mirta Gev, another Mandalorian that Kitai recognized as renowned warrior Dinua Jeban, a well-known Jedi Knight known as Jaden Korr, who Kitai knew that Darth Wyyrlok wanted alive for an unknown reason, Keshiri rebels Adari Thayn Palpatine and Seelah Verge, and three other members of Edaan’s crew, the Patrolian bounty hunter that went by the name of Robonino, Anzati Mandalorian captain Akku Sei II, and Yuuzhan Vong gladiator and former refugee leader Vua Rapuung, with the tuk’ata that Edaan managed to recruit to his side sitting near the junior Jedi Knight..

 

As Kitai stood there, trying to come up with anything to say to the gathered ensemble of leaders, Edaan turned to face her, and gladly said, “Ah, Vestara. I’m glad to see that you’re awake. But are you alright, because we sensed your anguish a couple of minutes ago?” As soon as the first sentence was completed, everyone else that was near Edaan took out their weapons and kept them ready in case the Sith Lady tried anything.

 

“Thank you, Edaan. Yes, I’m… Oh, who am I trying to fool? No, I’m not okay, and it’s all your fault.” Kitai said without any malice or heat in her voice as she spoke.

 

“I know. But it was necessary in order to strip away the darkness that covered your surface, and allow the true essence of who you are to reemerge.” Edaan said with sympathy, but no regret, and he then turned to face his friends and comrades, and said, “Mirta, Adari, Seelah, Butch, Vua, can you guys stay with me? The rest of you better help our men finish packing up the camp before we debark, as well as keeping an eye on White Eyes. Jarael, you’d better go and make sure that White Eyes is up for traveling, as we can’t afford to take a sick or wounded prisoner, let alone a Sith Lord, along for the ride.”

 

“If you say so, boss.” Robonino said before he, as well as Dinua and Garazeb, gave Kitai a wary look, and the three of them, along with Akku, Dinua, Jaden, Jarael, and Sabine, left to prepare for the continuing journey and keep an eye on their other Sith Prisoner.

 

As soon as the eight fighters left the area, leaving Edaan his wife, and his four friends alone with the Sith Lady, the younger Jedi Knight passionately said, “Vestara, I know that you are going through an immense amount of pain right now, but you don’t have to go it alone. You have people who are willing to help you if you only ask.”

 

“That’s easy for you to say, Edaan, but not all of us have five dead Jedi who give you sound advice.” Kitai bit back, yet again without any true anger in her tone, as her diverse amount of conflicting emotions continued to keep her off-balance.

 

“True.” Edaan simply admitted before he gently rebuked her by saying, “But you still have people who care about you, such as me and Ben, who I know, down at the core of his being, still loves you immensely. And, the rest of us are willing to help you find your way back to your true self.”

 

Kitai could only gape at Edaan’s blatant display of hope in spite of all that she had done, and, once she had closed her mouth, she said, “Okay, after all that you’ve showed me, I may understand how you are so willing to help me, but why in the Nine Corellian Hells would Ben help me after I killed his fellow Jedi Knight Natua Wan, led an attempt to kill his cousin, and after every other terrible sin that I’ve committed to this day?”

 

“Because, deep down, he misses you, and wants you back in his life in order to heal the wound that you left in his soul when you left him.” Edaan sagely replied, further consternating the wavering Sith Lady.

 

“Okay. Let’s say that by some miracle, Ben does forgive me. How can the rest of you, especially you two,” Kitai said, referring to Adari and Seelah, “be so willing to help me, after all that I’ve done to you and your loved ones?”

 

“I’ll be honest, Vestara. If it were up to me, then I’d probably let you rot in this prison of your own design for what you and the rest of your Sith did to my people.” Adari said with complete honesty and venom in her voice, before she calmed down and continued, saying, “But, Edaan is in command here, and I trust him more than anyone else, so if he says that you can be redeemed, then I should at least give him a chance to achieve his lifelong goal.”

 

“And, Edaan managed to save me and the rest of our makeshift tribe on Dantooine, so if he can redeem us, then I’d say that he has a good shot at redeeming you. And, I’d say that he’s already made excellent progress in that goal.” Seelah said in addition to what Adari had said.

 

“Well, I’ve got to give you some points for honesty.” Kitai said with just a hint of humor lacing her voice as she spoke, before she continued, turning to face her former Mandalorian comrade, and saying, “And you, Mirta? Why would you help Edaan after all of the pain that the Jedi and Sith have brought to you, your family, and your people.”

 

“Oh, I’m not mainly doing it for the Jedi, Vestara. I’m mostly doing it in order to repay a debt that I owe Edaan. He showed me that the path that I was on was not in the best interest of Mandalore, and he helped me reconcile with _Ba’buir_ and Ghes, and for that, I vowed to aid him in his quest to save you and reunite you with your true love, Ben Skywalker.” Mirta honestly said, knowing that an answer that would be about saving the galaxy and the Jedi would only push Kitai away, and prove detrimental to their goals.

 

“My ‘true love’, Mirta?” Kitai disbelievingly said before she continued, her voice full of sarcasm and mockery as she spoke, saying, “I had no idea that you were a believer in fairy tales and myths.”

 

“I’m not, Vestara. But it was the best set of words that fit your relationship with Ben, since, as I recall, you never actually had a relationship with anyone else in the time that we fought together before you became the leader of your people.” Mirta replied, not at all offended by her former friend’s bite in her voice.

 

“And what about you, Rapuung? Why would you support the Jedi after they caused your people’s humiliation and exile after their invasion, not that I’m complaining, mind you?” Kitai said, not willing to give up the fight just yet.

“No, Vestara, it was my own people’s arrogance and bloodlust that led to their downfall. And it was the Jedi that saved my people when the whole galaxy would have seen us all die out from the Alpha Red virus, and gave us a second chance. And Edaan helped me personally by helping me achieve justice when my wife was murdered by vengeful Bothans.”

 

After realizing that this conversation was going nowhere, Kitai said, “Look, can I just get a few minutes alone with Adari and Edaan? I want to talk with Edaan about our conversation earlier, and I figured that Adari would want to be there for this.”

 

After Seelah and Vua looked at Edaan in order to see what he thought of the Sith Lady’s request, he simply shrugged his shoulders in confirmation, and the two fighters withdrew ten feet away form where Edaan, Adari, Butch, and Kitai were sitting, giving them some personal space in order to talk privately.

 

“So… what is it that you wanted to talk about, Vestara?” Adari cautiously asked as she fidgeted on the rock that she was sitting on.

 

“How did the two of you do it?” Kitai suddenly asked, surprising Adari, as she had not expected such a question.

 

Edaan, on the other hand, was briefly caught off-guard by that question, but he quickly put the pieces together in his mind, and, with a knowing grin on his face, said, “So, you want to know how Adari and me got together despite our different upbringing, is that it?” After a affirming nod from Kitai, Edaan said, “Well, long story short, we both couldn’t stand each other at first, as we only had propaganda and second-hand information about the other’s people to imagine what the other would be like. But, through patience, much communication on both of our parts, and being united in a common goal of bringing freedom back to the people of Kesh, we fell in love over the months that we spent together. Now, what did you _really_ want to talk about, Ves?” Edaan knowingly asked after he finished explaining his small tale to the Kitai.

 

“Oh, fine. You caught me, Edaan.” Kitai admitted in defeat as she then said, “Do you know what Orielle, Jelph, Revan, and Tau said to me?” After seeing him shake his head in denial, Kitai said, “They told me how full of hope that you are full of, and how your love and compassion are the greatest powers that you possess, what have allowed you to endure so much pain in your life, as well as carry the pain of others inside of you in order to change them, and I saw how your love has managed to change so many people for the better, and… I think that I want to be a part of that again. But most of all, I think- no, I _know_ , that I want Ben back in my life again.”

 

As soon as Vestara uttered those words, Adari’s jaw fell agape, and Edaan simply smiled gently at the reforming Sith Lady, and he humbly said, “I guessed that something like this would happen, Ves, as I can sense the conflict that’s raging inside of your entire being. If you are willing, Jaden Korr and I would be more than honored to help guide you back to the Light Side until we see Ben again.”

 

After hearing Edaan speak so fervently and compassionately to her, in spite of all of the pain that she had inflicted on him over the years, Vestara began to silently weep after so many years as genuine tears of pain and joy fell down her face, and was comforted by Edaan and Adari as the Jedi hugged her, while Adari put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

 

“Don’t worry, Ves, we’re all here for you. You don’t have to carry the burdens that you’ve held all on your own anymore, that’s what you’ve got friends in me and Adari, and soon, enough, many other people.” Edaan gently said.

 

“Thank you, Edaan.” Vestara gratefully said as she felt a tongue lick her face, only to see Edaan’s tuk’ata licking her cheek, and she laughed awkwardly at the reformed Sith beast and said, “Uh, Edaan Could you please tell…” She could not finish her request because she did not know the tuk’ata’s name.

 

“His name is Butch, Vestara.” Adari said as she amusingly watched the adorable display of affection on Butch’s part, while Vestara gently spoke in the Sith language in order to ask Butch to give her some personal space, and Jaden, Vua, Seelah Zeb, and Mirta walked over to see this.

 

“Judging by the immense amount of anguish and love coming from Vestara and Butch, would it be correct to assume that you managed to redeem her?” Jaden cautiously said.

 

“That would be an astute assumption, Jaden.” Edaan said as he let go of Vestara, who took a little time to pet Butch before she got up to greet Jaden.

 

“I… have no words to offer in my defense, Jedi Knight Korr. I only hope to help you in defeating the One Sith and begin to atone for all of the innocent and noble blood that stains my hands.” Vestara solemnly said, which seemed to satisfy Jaden, who nodded in approval to the former Sith Lady.

 

“Well, Vestara, if you’re going to be given a chance to help fix some of the damage that you’ve caused, then you’d better be armed so that you don’t get killed.” Jaden said as he handed Vestara back her lightsaber.

 

“Okay, I know that I’ve seen a lot of unbelievable things in my time, but this definitely takes the cake, and probably eats it too.” Zeb said, not willing to get into another verbal argument with Edaan over the obvious dementia that had gripped his mind.

 

“Yeah, I’d have to agree with you there, Zeb.” Mirta solemnly said in agreement as she finished checking the last of her equipment before the small army headed off.

 

“I know that I don’t deserve even an iota of your trust, but I hope to prove myself to all of you, many times over.” Vestara said, her voice full of determination as she spoke, and she meant every word of what she said. “But we’d better get moving, as the One Sith will soon send reinforcements to retrieve White Eyes and capture as many of this strike team’s leaders as they can.

“Is there anything that you can tell us of the Sith’s plans before we head off, Vestara?” Edaan said, getting right to the crux of the matter as he looked around the camp to see the camp nearly completely packed up.

 

“Yeah. They want at least you and Jaden alive, Edaan, but I don’t know what for, as I didn’t ask, due to the turmoil that you put into my soul.” Vestara said with her trademark barbs beginning to return after so many years of drowning in the Dark Side.

 

“Well, any help you can give will help keep us alive in the long run, Ves. Now, we’d better get moving, as the One Sith are bound to come back after us sooner or later.” Edaan said as he moved with an extra spring in his step, leaving the others alone to gather their thoughts.

 

“Is he always that upbeat?” Vestara curiously asked Adari.

 

“Nope. He’s usually very serious. Must be you coming back to the Light. But, a word of warning, we’re watching you, Vestara. One wrong move, and you die. We clear?” Adari said in a foreboding tone.

 

“Crystal.” Vestara said, not at all phased by the Keshiri woman’s viciousness, as everyone followed Edaan to where he was helping the men get ready for their continuing journey into Korriban’s catacombs.

 

_1150 Hours_

_Outside of the One Sith’s Stronghold_

 

“My Lord, the men are all assembled, and we are ready to depart ten minutes early.” Darth See-Chok dutifully said as he followed Darth Wyyrlok to where the forty-eight other Sith were assembled.

 

“Good. I assume that they know of our modified objective?” Wyyrlok asked, even though he already knew the answer.

 

“Of course, Lord Wyyrlok. Most of the men can’t wait to capture the traitorous harlot.” See-Chok disgustingly said as he gripped his prosthetic hands together in anger.

 

“Well, they will get their chance soon enough. Now, tell the men to head on, as the Jedi and their allies are on the move again, and we must move quickly if we are to ambush them before they find this place.”

 

After nodding in approval, See-Chok ordered the forty-eight other members of the One Sith’s small army, which included a handful of his first disciples during the Clone War, and everyone began to run to their targets, with Wyyrlok and See-Chok taking the lead.

 

**And, cut! WOW!! I cannot believe that Vestara Khai’s road to redemption has officially begun. Now, for those of you who think that I redeemed her too quickly, don’t worry, she will have many trials to endure before she is firmly in the Light Side, as well as reunited with Ben. And, redeeming Vestara was perhaps the main reason for me writing this fanfiction, and I needed to get my feelings across in a calm and constructive manner. I hope that you can figure out who Darth See-Chok is, but, if you can’t, here’s a hint: he was a main character in a _The Clone Wars_ graphic novella. I hope that that helps. Oh, and this might be my last chapter for a while, as I have an important test to study for, and I cannot afford to fail it, as it is the first of three tests that one of my classes has. Anyway, I recently saw the latest chapter of _Injustice: Ground Zero_ , and it was riveting. I hope that “Garry” survives, but I have my doubts, as the Joker significantly wounded him, if not outright killed him. By the way, it’s just seven weeks until Mass Effect Andromeda is released, and just four until my 22nd birthday. I hope that you guys are enjoying your day of January 31, 2017, as I sure am, and I hope to enjoy the next day, which is the start of February. May the Force Be With You, and Lone Live the Expanded Universe!**

 


	25. Chapter 24

**Good evening, all of you Star Wars Expanded Universe fans! How are you doing on this warm day of February 1, 2017? I am doing all right, as I got the latest _Injustice: Ground Zero_ comic book that came out today, and I volunteered at one of my local libraries for two hours which helped the people who work there out a bit. Anyway, can you guys believe that, as of now, I have written over one hundred and two thousand words for this story alone, and I’m nowhere near done with this story yet? So, in other news, I found out that ArchReaperN7 updated his story _IV: Holocaust_ with another chapter, and what I have read of it is very impressive. If any of you are big _Mass Effect_ fans, as well as Tali/Shepard fans, then you have got to check out his stories, but, here’s a heads-up, they’re really long. Anyway, let me tell you guys a little about this chapter, because, as of now, I have no idea how it’s going to play out. What I can tell you guys about is that it will lead up to a major plot twist in my story that I have planned for Edaan (and I’m sure that a certain someone, who’s name I will not mention for safety reasons, can figure out what said plot twist is), as well as my newfound plans with Vestara since I’ve placed her on the path to redemption sooner than I expected. Well, I guess that I should get started on this chapter, but, before I do, let me just thank each and every one of you who have taken the time to read, followed, favorited, and/or review my stories, as it means a lot to me that some people, even if it’s only a handful, have enjoyed my works, and may even sympathize with me on how I feel about the Expanded Universe. Well, with all of my ranting out of the way, let’s get on with the story. **

**(February 4, 2017 Addendum) Good morning, Star Wars lovers. Sorry to add an addendum to my latest chapter, but I have some news that I can’t wait to share with all of you. Today is my mother’s 54 th birthday, and we are going to celebrate by going to a fancy Italian restaurant tonight for dinner. I hope that you all wish her a happy birthday, as I consider her to be perhaps the most important people in my life. By the way, I recently discovered a great song by the late legend, Johnny Cash. It’s called “Hurt”, and it is featured in the first Logan trailer, which is how I discovered the song to begin with. The song is amazing, and I hope that Johnny Cash is at peace in Heaven beside his wife. Anyway, let’s get back to the action-packed chapter. **

**(February 5, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everyone. I wish that I didn’t have to add another addendum to this chapter, but I’ve stumbled upon some news that must be shared at once. According to a report from “The Star Wars Underworld” website, _The Clone Wars_ will be leaving Netflix on March 7 th, which is a darn shame, as I loved the show immensely. If you plan to watch the show on Netflix, now’s the perfect time, otherwise, you’ll have to buy up all of the seasons individually by Blu-Ray or DVD. So, how are you doing on this fine Sunday, what, with the Super Bowl coming in a handful of hours? I am not going to watch it, unfortunately, as I am not a fan of sports in the slightest. One more thing. You have got to check out YouTube right now, as someone posted all of the deleted scenes from Seasons Two through Five of The Clone Wars, and they are amazing! I fully recommend them to anyone who is a fan of the show. Well, that’s that. Let’s hope that I can finish this chapter soon, as I have a test and a quiz that I need to study for. **

 

_Deeper Within the Catacombs of Korriban’s Tombs_

_1235 Hours_

 

Vestara Khai was wary, which was expected from a redeemed Sith Lady of the One Sith, as well as the final Grand Lady of the Lost Tribe of the Sith before the latter’s collapse, as she, along with the tuk’ata Sith hound that Edaan Palpatine had named Butch, had managed to save several members of the Shadow Alliance’s unauthorized strike force from the many traps that guarded the various levels of the catacombs of the Sith mausoleum world.

 

Knowing that they would be nearing their destination within the next two hours, she began to converse with Sabine Wren, who she only knew by reputation as leader of the famed and renowned Vindicator Brigade, a six-thousand strong army that was one of the most powerful and esteemed Mandalorian mercenary brigades in the galaxy, and as a former comrade of Darth Snoke before he became a Sith Lord.

 

“So, Sabine, what made you join Edaan in his quest to find me and the One Sith? I mean, I can understand allying with him to stop Admiral Daala from taking over your people, but why would you ally with a descendent of the man who enslaved so many of the Mandalorians?” Vestara curiously asked as she slowed down to accommodate the aging Mandalorian.

 

“Because Edaan is crucial to leading the Shadow Alliance to victory against the One Sith, and his odds of survival are higher with a group of elite Mandalorians by his side, as I know from personal experience. Why do you ask?” Sabine stoically asked, curious as to where Vestara was going with this line of questioning.

 

“I’m just wondering as to why you would risk it all for a suicidal mission, even if you are a veteran of the First Galactic Civil War, so you must know a thing or two about impossible odds.” Vestara politely replied.

 

Right after Vestara had uttered those words, the leader of the Lasat strike force, Garazeb Orrelios, better known as “Zeb”, began to chuckle behind her, and he said, “Lady, back when the Rebellion didn’t officially exist, it was just me, Sabine, Chopper, Ezra, Hera, and Kanan against the Imperial forces on Lothal, and we managed to outmaneuver them time and time again. We even managed to take down the current Grand Inquisitor and Grand Moff Tarkin’s former flagship, the Star Destroyer that was known as the _Sovereign_ , before we were recruited into Phoenix Squadron, and eventually, the Alliance to Restore the Republic.”

 

“Sounds like there are a lot of stories to be told. Maybe you could tell them sometime, so that they’re never forgotten by future generations, Zeb.” Vestara suggested.

 

“Don’t worry, Vestara, those stories aren’t going to be forgotten by my people for centuries, as they’re the reason that they’re even aware of recent events.” Zeb confidently said as he resumed walking in stride in order to catch up with Edaan and Butch, who were scouting the nearby area for any traps or Sith forces that could be lying in wait.

 

After Zeb left the vicinity of the two women, Sabine asked the reformed Sith Lady, “So, why the sudden interest in me and my current allegiance?”

 

“Because I’m trying to understand why you, as well as so many other people, would be willing to follow Edaan into the abyss in order to try and save me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that he came for me, but it’s still so hard for me to wrap my head around.” Vestara explained.

 

“Fair enough, Vestara. Well, Edaan reminded me a lot of Kanan Jarrus, who, before his death at Ezra’s hands, was my former lightsaber mentor, a Jedi Knight, and a fellow member of the Rebellion, But the main reason was due to the fact that I wanted to avenge the murders of Kanan, Hera Syndulla, and Rex that Ezra committed.”

 

“So you wanted revenge, then.” Vestara sympathetically said, as she understood that the desire for revenge was strong in both the cultures of both the Sith and Mandalorians.

 

“I would have, a long time ago, back when I was seventeen years old, but thanks to Hera and Kanan, I was able to overcome my desires for revenge, and now I just want justice for all of the deaths that Ezra committed.” Sabine countered, not at all surprised by Vestara’s response, as she still had a long way to go before she fully escaped the Dark Side’s grip.

 

“Strange, you sound less like a Mandalorian, and more like a Jedi.” Vestara half-jokingly said, earning a few chuckles from the veteran Mandalorian commander.

 

“Funny, that’s exactly what Hera said after Kanan, Chopper, and I captured Journeyman Protector Fenn Rau above Concord Dawn’s third moon.” Sabine said as she reminisced about the days of her youth and how she was a member of the Spectres of Phoenix Squadron, before she snapped out of her reverie and said, “Hey, weren’t you friends with Mirta Gev before you became the leader of the Lost Tribe of the Sith almost five years ago?”

 

“Yes? What does that have to do with anything?” Vestara said, wondering where Sabine was going with this line of questioning.

 

“She should have answers to all of these questions, so why don’t you ask her all of these things, as I’m sure that the two of you have a lot in common, what with having to atone for the damage that you two ladies have caused?” Sabine said with a hint of anger in her voice as she spoke.

 

Sabine’s disgust that was directed at Vestara did not surprise her, as she knew that as she had a great deal to atone for during her time as a Jedi deserter, Sith Lady, and Grand Lady of the Sith. Knowing when to take a hint, she changed the subject, and asked, “So… I’m a little curious. Just how much do you know about Ship?”

 

“What, you mean your sentient Sith meditation sphere that Ben Skywalker discovered during the Second Galactic Civil War? Not too much, but I do know that it’s at least five thousand years old, and can construct any weapon on its exterior that its commander can think of.” Sabine said as she recalled all the research that Admiral and Neo Death Watch leader Natasi Daala had compiled on the many Force-based organizations that existed across the galaxy in her demented efforts to eradicate the Force from existence.

 

“Well, that’s a lot more than most people know about them.” Vestara replied, more than a little impressed with Sabine’s well-versed knowledge of Sith history and secret weapons, before she continued, saying, “Ship is also a Sith training vessel, which means that he was created by the Sith Empire in order to train young initiates in the ways of the Dark Side. He can be commanded by any Force-sensitive individual with a strong enough will, but he especially responds well to people who follow the Dark Side. I remember how Abeloth was able to control Ship for over a year through her immeasurable power, and how Ben and I…” Vestara stopped herself as she ruminated on how she then abandoned Ben after the two of them killed one of the last of Abeloth’s avatars, and Sabine put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder as she trembled ever so slightly. “Thank you, Sabine.” Vestara gratefully said as she calmed down.

 

Hoping to take Vestara’s mind off of the depressing topic of being away from your one true love, Sabine then asked, “So, why do you talk of Ship as if he’s a person, as I noticed that you call Ship a ‘him’?”

 

“Because he was programmed with a masculine personality, and... I’m very fond of him, as one might expect due to me spending so much time fighting alongside him over the years.” Vestara honestly said, knowing that a certain Jedi Knight and former Sith Saber were keeping a close and watchful eye over her.

 

“But do you think that you could kill him, if it came down to it, as I’m sure by now that he knows that you’ve left the One Sith behind?” Sabine hesitatingly as Jaden and Seelah came up from behind her, as they were also interested in hearing what Vestara had to say about the matter.

 

“I…” Vestara cautiously said before she hesitated, not wanting to promise anything she might not be able to fufill, before she gathered her courage, saying, “Look. Ship was, besides Mirta, my only friend for so many years, and I’m not sure that, if it came down to it, I could kill him, not only because he’s very powerful with the Dark Side, but because I have an attachment to him. I know that it’s wrong, but I can’t help it.”

 

“Don’t worry about it, Vestara.” Jaden said, surprising her, as she expected him to say something patronizing about her selfish desires before what she heard next shocked her even more, “Actually, I would have imprisoned you if you said that you could have killed him, as I would have known that you were a Sith spy, so your honesty is greatly appreciated.”

 

Not knowing what to say in light of such a remark, Vestara simply nodded in response before she turned to Seelah and asked, “So, Seelah, what compelled you and the rest of your colony to follow Edaan into the krayt dragon’s nest, where you’ll probably die or worse?”

 

“Because, Vestara, back on Kesh, Edaan showed all of us another way to live, without the Dark Side, and we want to protect our children from the One Sith and the Dark Side, and the Jedi and their allies are the best defense against them.” Seelah passionately said, surprising Vestara.

 

“Children? How many children are within your little tribe?” Vestara disbelievingly asked.

 

“Eight, Vestara. Their names are Spinner, Dallis, Yaru, Candra, Jorel, Deama, Takara, and Amara. We named four of them after the historical figures of the Lost Tribe of the Sith in order to remember our ancestors, as well as hope that something good will come out of our ancestors’ vile legacy.” Seelah fervently said, which did not shock Vestara, as she knew that Seelah always disagreed with the path that the Lost Tribe had taken over the five millennia that it existed for.

 

“I see. So, I assume that you took them to Shedu Maad’s Jedi academy for safekeeping?” Vestara asked, wondering if Seelah would trust the entire Jedi Order after how they invaded their home world.

 

“No, Edaan convinced them to send their children to Mandalore, where they can be protected by the Shadow Alliance until they invade Korriban. Then they’ll go to Shedu Maad for training in the ways of the Light Side of the Force. Who knows, maybe one day, they can teach the other Force-sensitive inhabitants of your home world to use the Force for the betterment of others instead of their own personal advancement.” Jaden said, putting himself back into the conversation.

 

After Vestara warmly chuckled at Jaden’s reply, she wistfully said, “You know, before the Jedi recaptured Coruscant during the Lost Tribe’s emergence, I told Ben that I wanted to lead a Jedi missionary force to teach the natives of Kesh to embrace the Light Side, but I didn’t truly believe it at the time. But, thanks to Edaan’s mercy and compassion, my false dream might actually come true.”

 

“Well, Kanan used to say that the Force always worked in mysterious ways.” Sabine said as she lightly chortled, before she continued, “So… Vestara, what’s wrong?” she quickly picked up on Vestara’s sudden anxiety that took over her face as she pulled out and activate her lightsaber, and she quickly ran ahead to where Zeb, Edaan, and Butch, who howled at an unseen enemy, could be located. Sabine then turned to see Jaden and Seelah activate their lightsabers, and, before they could head to the front, Sabine, as she pulled out and activated the Darksaber, quickly asked, “More Sith?”

 

“Guessed it in one, Sabine.” Jaden grimly said before he continued, saying, “As far as I can tell, there’s… at least forty of them, so they aren’t taking any chances on capturing us. They even got Ship out to capture Vestara.” Sabine’s eyes shot up at the revelation before Jaden continued, saying, “They’ll be here in three minutes, tops, so get the men ready for the fight of their lives.”

 

“Understood. May the Force be with us.” Sabine grimly said as Jaden and Seelah began to run in order to catch up to Vestara, and she began to type a brief message to all of her Mandalorian soldiers, alerting them of the incoming threat.

 

*

 

“Well, we knew that they would be coming for us sooner or later.” Zeb said as he reconfigured his bo-rifle into its electrostaff mode, and began to fall back with Edaan and Butch in order to avoid being cut off by the incoming horde of Sith warriors.

 

“Let’s just hope that we can survive this one, Zeb, as I can sense that Darth Wyyrlok, Krayt’s right-hand man, is coming with the forty-nine other Sith, including Darths Sedirss, Snoke, and Mallues, to take us down.” Edaan said as, due to his training in sensing Dark Siders in Dark Side nexuses with his five dead masters, he sensed that the Sith were rapidly closing in on their position, and he, Zeb, and Butch quickly moved closer to their followers in order to maintain their strength and current superiority in numbers.

 

“Good. Means that once we kill him, Krayt’s chain of command will fracture, and help us in the long run.” Zeb eagerly said, hoping to get to be the one to kill Wyyrlok, as he needed to deal with his pent-up aggression hat he had been carrying ever since he met Edaan and dealt with one insane plan after another.

 

“Yeah, if we can survive long enough to enjoy the benefits of the power struggle that could erupt form Wyyrlok’s death, as we don’t have a good enough idea of how the One Sith’s power structure works.” Edaan cautioned his Lasat comrade before he sensed a very dark and familiar presence that made his skin crawl from the inside out, and he growled out one word in response, “ _Ship_.”

 

“What?” Zeb confusingly asked, not at all aware of who Ship was. “Who’s ‘Ship’?”

 

“Long story that I have no time to explain. Let’s just say that ship is a very old enemy of the Jedi, and is bent of getting Vestara back to his side.” Edaan quickly said as he drew his violet lightsaber and launched a massive barrage of Force Lightning into the darkness, briefly illuminating it and revealing at least twenty tattooed Sith Lords and Ladies, one of them a middle-aged red Chagrian male that was covered in an intricate set of Sith Tattoos, and hatefully glared at the young Jedi Knight.

 

“Uh… am I to take it that that’s Wyyrlok?” Zeb said as Butch growled in defense of his master, and Edaan returned Wyyrlok’s glare with equal intensity.

 

“Yup.” Edaan simply replied as he readied himself for what would come next, as he felt the ground shake beneath him, and a heavy laser blast blew away much of the ceiling above the three of them, revealing an orange Sith Meditation Sphere that Edaan recognized all too well, and he then angrily said, “It’s been a long time, Ship.”, earning an astonished look from Zeb as he realized that Ship was not a person, but an actual ship.

 

 _Too long, Edaan Palpatine. You’ve grown much more powerful in the Force since our last encounter, and you’ve become a great leader in your own right._ Ship telepathically said to the young Jedi in acknowledgment of his growing power and influence, before he continued, saying, _It’s a shame that you took Lady Kitai away from me, as now I have to expend the time and effort in bringing her back to the Dark Side._

“Don’t count on it, Ship. You’ll only get Vestara back after you’ve pried her from my cold, dead fingers, as now that I’ve found her, there’s no way that I’ll let the Sith take her away from Ben again.” Edaan fiercely said.

 

“Uh… Edaan? Not to interrupt your… whatever it is that you’re doing with Ship, but we have about twenty Sith right in front of us, and they look very angry.” Zeb hesitatingly said as he activated his electrostaff and held in in a defensive position to try and stave off the advancing Sith.

 

“Right. Sorry Zeb.” Edaan apologetically said as he sensed the distinctly presence of three of his allies about to reinforce their position and, deciding to catch the Sith off-guard, did something monumentally reckless and stupid. He charged right at the twenty Sith that were slowly advancing on them.

 

The speed that which Edaan charged at them caught three Sith with their defenses down, and he quickly cut them down, enraging sixteen of the other Sith. However, before they had the chance to retaliate, Wyyrlok shouted, “STOP!!! The Jedi is mine!” Realizing that Wyyrlok would deal with this young upstart, the sixteen other Sith, as well as Ship, began to deal with Jaden Korr, Seelah Verge, and the traitorous Vestara Khai, who arrived to support Zeb and Butch before they were captured or killed by the survivors.

 

As the five fighters engaged their numerically superior enemies, the Chagrian Sith Lord faced his younger opponent, and menacingly said, “You have been a thorn in my master’s side for too long, Edaan Palpatine. I will offer you one chance to come with me willingly, or I will take you and your compatriots in by force.”

 

“Yeah… That’s not going to happen, Wyyrlok. I’ve come too far in achieving my goals to back out now, or surrender to a lapdog of a traitor.” Edaan said, praying to the Force that Qui-Gon was wrong about Darth Krayt’s true identity.

 

Wyyrlok’s eyes widened for an instant before he recomposed himself, and quietly said, “So, you know the truth then.” He then raised his voice as he continued, saying, “It matters not. You will be coming with me, but now you have elected the way of pain!” As soon as Wyyrlok ceased talking, he charged at Edaan with a speed that surpassed Edaan’s previous charge, and Edaan was barely able to maneuver himself out of the way of the dual lightsaber strike. He then used the Force to augment his strength, and push Wyyrlok away from him, giving him some breathing room as he tried to come up with a strategy to eliminate the Chagrian, only to come up short.

 

 _This is going to be tougher than I thought. And here I thought that this would be a walk in the park._ Edaan wryly thought to himself as he unleashed a wave of Force Lightning to counter Wyyrlok’s equally powerful barrage of lightning.

 

*

 

_Five Minutes Later_

 

Vestara Khai was in great turmoil, as, in addition to the four Sith that were attacking her, she was facing off against her oldest surviving comrade and friend, Ship. Despite her promise to help Edaan destroy the Sith, she could not give her all into fighting her former ally, as he had been there for her when no one else was, even Ben. She struggled to keep her mind in the here and now, as she was being mentally assaulted by Ship’s waves of Dark Side energy in an attempt to ensnare her back to the Dark Side. However, despite her very recent reconversion to the Light Side, her spirit was being very resilient, as she knew that she had more to fight for than just Ben now. She knew that Edaan had risked life and limb to save her without expecting anything in return, and she owed it to him to give it her all in serving the Light Side of the Force, and hold on until she was reunited with her first and only true love, Ben Skywalker, and she could begin to atone in his eyes for all of the damage that she had done to the galaxy.

 

 _I’m very disappointed in you, Lady Kitai. I had thought that a child pretending to be a Jedi would not break your commitment to the Dark Side._ Ship telepathically said to Vestara, whose heart ached at losing a longtime friend due to her recommitment to the Light Side.

 

 _I’m sorry, old friend, but I have to do this. Either stand aside, or we will be forced to take you down._ Vestara warned her longtime friend as she cut down a Kubundi Sith Lord that had the misfortune of leaving himself open to a fatal blow, leaving only three very irate Sith Lords to renew their assault on her, while Ship increased their strength through the use of the Dark Side of the Force, forcing Vestara back onto the defensive.

 

 _Then you shall fall like the rest of the Jedi, traitor._ Ship angrily said as he unleashed two proton torpedoes at Vestara’s rear position, which she barely avoided by rolling on the ground away from the range of the blast, and came upon a wounded Seelah Verge, who had several lightsaber cuts on her body, and her left arm dangling loosely by her side as she faced off against the two remaining Sith that besieged her, who quickly linked up with the three Sith that targeted Vestara, and renewed their assault on the two former Sith women, who met the onslaught with as much grace and strength as they could muster, before a lightsaber came from behind and beheaded two of the five Sith Lords, revealing a bloodied but able Jaden Korr, much to the relief of two women.

 

Moving quickly to press the advantage, the three Force-Sensitives quickly cut down their remaining adversaries, and, with Ship suddenly outnumbered, fled the area, much to the confusion of Vestara, as she never knew Ship to flee from an opponent that was on the land. However, here contemplation was interrupted by a nearby scream, as she saw Edaan flying across the room before he narrowly avoided falling onto a broken urn, with Wyyrlok closing in on him. Acting on instinct, Vestara shot a knowing glance at Jaden and Seelah, and she then ran to support her friend while Jaden and Seelah rushed to support Zeb and Butch, who were struggling to hold off their three remaining superior opponents through superior tactics.

 

However, as soon as the two warriors came within attacking range, the three remaining Sith fled the area, leaving the four Shadow Alliance warriors confused, before they realized that the three Sith were heading for the rest of their allies, and they rushed to support the rest of their friends, but not before warning Edaan and Vestara via comlinks that the Sith were assaulting the rest of their forces.

 

**And, that ends another action-packed chapter of my fifth story. So, tell me what you think of it. And, be honest, as long as your criticism is constructive, and not rude and offensive. So, how are all of you doing on this fine evening of February 5, 2017, as I am doing fine, although, I am a little tired, and it’s only 5:44 PM where I am? Well, I have almost reached two hundred pages with this story, and I have no plans on stopping now, especially since I have so much time until the Shadow Alliance arrives en masse on Korriban to invade. All that I can say about my next chapter will be that it will be quite a bloodbath for both sides. May the Force be With Edaan and the rest of his compatriots, as I fear that not all of them will make it out of this battle alive. So, with that little piece of spoilers out of the way, May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	26. Chapter 25

**Good evening, all of my friends and followers. How are you doing on this fine evening of February 6, 2017? I am doing alright, although I could be better, as I did not do very well on an online test in my online class due to my trepidations on certain matters. Anyway, this chapter will likely kill off one of the Dramatis Personae, but I won’t say who, as that would give away too much. By the way, how are all of those video game players out there, as I am still playing _Dragon Age: Origins: Ultimate Edition_ , and I am within the Anvil of the Void, and after that, it’s back to Ostagar, and then to recruit the Dalish Elves. Oh, and I’ve finished my previous book, which was a collection of letters that was written by George H. W. Bush, and am now on _Killing the Rising Sun_ , which I’m sure many of you are familiar with, if you haven’t read it. Fair warning, the book projects many grisly deeds done by the Japanese on WWII, so this book isn’t for the faint-hearted. Anyway, with all of the pleasantries out of the way, let’s get started on the next chapter of my brilliant and highly enjoyable fanfiction. **

As Jaden, Seelah, Zeb, and Butch rushed to aid their friends and comrades, Jaden grimly said, “We have to hurry. I can sense our friends fighting for their lives, and about thirty Sith are trying to massacre them all.”

 

“Then we’d better pick up the pace, then, as I am not letting anyone else die in this hellhole of a world.” Zeb said as he ran faster, with Butch, as the tuk’ata understood the situation, taking the lead, and with the element of surprise on his side, he leapt into the air, and deeply bit into the neck of a Kaleesh Sith Lady, killing her within seconds, allowing the three other warriors to see what was occurring in front of them: the lightsabers of twenty-two Sith Lords were, despite the fierce resistance that the Shadow Alliance forces were putting up by killing seven additional Sith Lords, decimating the beleaguered Shadow Alliance soldiers and reformed Lost Tribe Sith Sabers by the tens. The dismembered corpses of at least ten Lasats, fifteen Mandalorians, and eight ex-Lost Tribe Sith littered the area, which left the three fighters aghast as Zeb whispered, “ _Karabast_.” He then deeply growled, and, as he ran ahead to where he could hear the remaining Jedi and Sith forces fighting, roared, “Those karking Sith are going to PAY!!”

 

“Zeb, wait!” Seelah said to no avail, as the Lasat supreme commander paid no heed to the Keshiri’s cries, as he was dead-set on avenging his fallen brethren and rescuing Sabine, even if it killed him.

 

“I will say this, Zeb certainly doesn’t lack for courage.” Jaden respectfully said as he, Seelah, and Butch quickly ran in order to catch up to their friend.

 

“Yeah, but what good will that do us if his stubbornness gets himself killed?” Seelah retorted as she picked up her stride in order to catch up to Zeb, who stopped in order to reconvert his electro-staff into its bo-rifle position, and, before she could speak to Zeb, she witnessed a scene of carnage as the approximately sixty surviving members of the Shadow Alliance strike team were engaged in a battle for their very survival against twenty-one remaining Sith Lords, with Sabine, Vua, Akku, Dinua, Mirta, Adari, and Jarael valiantly leading the remaining Shadow Alliance men and women against their more powerful foes.

 

“Well, what are we waiting for, Zeb? Let’s get down there and give them a hand!” Seelah eagerly said before she was held back by Jaden, who understood what Zeb was about to do, and motioned for her to remain quiet. As Zeb took aim against a Rattataki Sith Lady that was about to attack Sabine, with the Darksaber in hand as she bravely fended off Darths Snoke and Malleus, Sabine quietly noticed Zeb about to attack, and renewed her assault on the two fallen Jedi Padawans, allowing Zeb the opportunity to snipe the head off of the Rattataki, slightly increasing their odds of succeeding against this onslaught.

 

Realizing that now was the time to attack, Jaden, Seelah, and Butch leapt down to aid their comrades and friends, and began to help them push back their Dark Side adversaries.

 

As soon as Zeb reconverted his bo-rifle to its electro-staff mode, knowing that a blaster would do little to no good in this situation, he jumped down to aid Sabine in fighting off her two stronger adversaries, and said over the chaos of the battle, “You okay, Sabine?”

 

“I’m fighting for my life against two insanely corrupted Sith Lords, so I’m having the time of my life right about now! Where’s Edaan?” Sabine nonchalantly said as she struggled to hold off Snoke’s assault on her by remembering the lightsaber lessons that he and Kanan gave to her when she was just nineteen years old, as well as the lessons that Gotab, the former Jedi Knight and healer known as Bardan Jusik, and Venku Skirata, son of clone commando Darman and Jedi Knight Etain Tur-Mukan, taught her later in her life after the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion.

 

“Busy fighting with Vestara against Wyyrlok! If they manage to survive and kill him, then they’ll join us, as we can’t afford to have him join this battle, or we’ll have no chance of victory.” Zeb explained, much to Sabine’s consternation, as she did not full trust Vestara yet, and was not fond of having one of her friends face off against Darth Krayt’s right-hand man with only Vestara as his single reinforcement. Unofrtunately for Sabine, her train of thought was interrupted by Zeb, who shouted out, “Hey, speaking of reinforcements, where’s that Sith meditation sphere that everyone calls ‘Ship’, because no one’s seen it after it vanished from fighting Vestara and Edaan?”

 

“No, but that’s what worries me, as-” Sabine was cut off as a she heard a powerful blast appear from above her, and, seeing several massive rocks fall from the ceiling, she bellowed out, “EVERONE, MOVE!!” She then activated her jetpack, and, along with all but three of her Mandalorians, who were crushed by the rubble that came down from above them, managed to get to a safe distance from the cave-in, only to find out that the other One Sith had survived the collapse, and, even worse, a giant bat-like spherical ship that Sabine recognized as Vestara’s former Sith meditation sphere known as Ship hovered above the debris as if a predator was analyzing its prey.

 

“Oh, Karabast!” Sabine cursed as she realized that their chances of winning this battle had plummeted down to near-nonexistent levels. But, knowing that she would rather die before surrendering, she, along with her twenty-surviving Mandalorians, which included Mirta and Dinua, renewed their fight against the One Sith, while the approximately fifteen Lasats, and ten remaining ex-Lost Tribe Sith, renewed their assault on the twenty-two surviving One Sith, killing three more of them before they were pushed into a corner, and, after another ten Lasats, seven Mandalorians, and five ex-Lost Tribe Sith were butchered, the remaining Shadow Alliance forces, minus Chopper, Butch, and Robonino, who were unaccounted for as they somehow managed to escape the battle, surrendered to the One Sith in the hopes of living to fight another day once the main Shadow Alliance navy and army arrived to invade Korriban.

 

“A most wise, choice, all of you.” Snoke smugly said as he led the effort to confiscate all of the weapons of the Shadow Alliance forces, and personally relished taking the weapons from his former comrades, Sabine and Zeb, especially the Darksaber from Sabine, and Zeb’s bo-rifle. Even White Eyes was enjoying the humiliating defeat, as he was freed earlier in the battle, and managed to kill a great deal of the Jedi’s allies.

 

Vua, however, had one final trick up his sleeve, as he threw several concealed Yuuzhan Vong Thud bugs at three unsuspecting Sith, and killed two of them, while Darth See-Chok barely managed to escape the attack, and, using a series of precise Force strikes on Vua’s vital points, caused the Yuuzhan Vong’s heart to explode, killing him almost instantly as he coughed up blood before he collapsed to the ground, much to the horror of all of his comrades.

 

_Meanwhile, deeper into the catacombs_

 

Edaan and Vestara were, surprisingly enough, holding their own against Darth Wyyrlok, and they were slowly gaining the upper hand on him, as the two were familiar enough with each other’s fighting styles to work in near-perfect synch with each other. The Chagrian Sith Lord had suffered many lightsaber cuts and burns all over his body, while both adherents of the Light Side were covered in an equal amount of bruises and sweat, but neither side was willing to concede defeat, as it would destroy the plans that they or their master had for the galaxy.

 

As Edaan and Vestara launched a combined Force push on Wyyrlok, he barely managed to withstand the powerful wave of telekinetic energy, and, before he could counterattack, his comlink came to life, and an unknown voice said, “ _Lord Wyyrlok, it’s See-Chok. We’ve suffered, heavy casualties, but managed to kill or capture all but three of the Shadow Alliance’s fighters, and await your response._ ”

 

After hearing those words, Edaan stopped dead in his tracks, with Vestara following immediately after, as both fighters realized that the battle was lost, and Edaan sadly said, “All right. You’ve beaten us. What do you want?”

 

“For you and the harlot to surrender, Edaan Palpatine, so that our master can speak with you. You and Lord Krayt have a great deal to discuss.” Wyyrlok stoically said, but inside, he was feeling a great deal of relief, as he was beginning to believe that Edaan and his strike force could win against him and his forces, further weakening the already outnumbered forces of the One Sith’s army and navy.

 

“’Harlot’?” Vestara said as she took a threatening step towards the One Sith’s second-in-command, as she was extremely incensed that Wyyrlok, or anyone else, for that matter, would use such a hurtful term on her for simply following her heart, only to be held back by Edaan.

 

“If we surrender, then you have to promise that you will treat the rest of my followers with dignity and respect.” Edaan said, his voice devoid of any emotion in order to avoid stop himself from saying anything that could get his loved ones killed.

 

“You’re in no positon to make any demands of us, young Palpatine.” Wyyrlok confidently said before he continued, respectfully saying, “But, your devotion to your comrades is admirable, and I see no reason as to why Lord Krayt would needlessly torture them, as you are the one that we are really after. So, do we have an agreement, Edaan?”

 

Before Edaan could say “yes”, Vestara telepathically said to him, _Edaan, you can’t trust Wyyrlok’s word, as he will say anything to get you to come with him to the Gates of Chaos itself. He’ll probably just have them all killed in order to spite us._

_Do you have a better idea, Ves? Because if you do, then I will gladly take it. Otherwise, we play it their way for now. We just have to hold out until the Shadow Alliance gets here, and that’s only forty-seven days from now._ Edaan mentally retorted.

 

 _FORTY-SEVEN DAYS?!? Edaan, in case you forgot, I just returned to the Light Side, and forty-seven days is a very long time, a time frame in which I, as well as all of us, could easily fall to the Dark Side, and then the galaxy will truly be doomed._ Vestara incredulously said as she gave Wyyrlok her lightsaber, with Edaan following her act.

 

 _Vestara, if you don’t have faith in me and the Force, then have faith in yourself, as I know that there is more to you than meets the eye. It’s the reason why I went out of my way to save you in the first place._ Edaan reassuringly said, although it did very little to assuage the fear that was coursing through Vestara’s entire being at this very time.

_One Hour Later, Outside the Tomb of Tulak Hord_

Patrolian bounty hunter Robonino, along with the tuk’ata that Edaan tamed and named “Butch”, and the astromech droid C1-10P, better known as “Chopper”, was in dire straits, as he had narrowly managed, through a combination of tactics and grenades, to kill the Zabrak Sith Lord that was sent to capture him, as well as escape the catacombs of Korriban. Knowing that the Shadow Alliance needed to know about this disaster, Robonino said, “Chopper, can you get a signal to Khar Delba, as our allies need to know about this turn of events?”

 

Chopper angrily whirled around and mumbled in droidspeak, while Butch, who did not understand what the astromech droid was saying, could only mourn over the potential loss of his master and friend, and sat his head on the ground.

 

“Yes, I know that we never should have come here on our own, but it’s too late to turn back now. We need to let the others know that the boss, Sabine, Jaden, Zeb, and the others have been taken prisoner, and you’re our only shot of getting this information across.” Robonino replied, angry at how he couldn’t help his friends when they needed him most, and how he, Chopper, and Butch could very well be the last surviving members of the Shadow Alliance’s impromptu strike force.

 

After Chopper relented, he set to work on getting a signal across to the Second Chance on Khar Delba, and, after about five minutes, a strong enough signal was able to project an image of Atai Molec, whose voice was full of relief, said, “ _Robo. It’s good to hear from you and the others again. Where’s Edaan and the others, as Chopper said that the transmission was urgent?_ ”

 

“Right.” Robonino nervously said before he continued, saying, “Basically, our entire strike force has been decimated by an assault by the One Sith, and the survivors have been taken prisoner by our enemies.”

 

“WHAT?!? How could this have happened?” Atai shockingly said, afterwards, Robonino quickly explained how the strike force was defeated, and Vua Rapuung was killed in battle, but not before they exacted a heavy toll on the One Sith’s forces, and how Edaan managed to get through to Vestara before they were captured, as well as tame the tuk’ata ound that was intently watching the conversation.

 

“ _I can’t believe that Vua’s really gone. I always assumed that he would die of old age instead of in battle._ ” Atai despondently said before he gathered his thoughts and said, “ _Well, at least Edaan achieved part of the mission’s objective._ ” Atai annoyingly said before he asked, “ _And how did the three of you manage to escape the One Sith’s forces?_ ”

 

“Once it was clear that the battle was unwinnable, Chopper shocked me into unconsciousness and led me and Butch up a tunnel that eventually led us back to the surface, and we even managed to kill another Sith Lord on the way up here.” Robonino explained, causing Chopper to shock him again, only for Robonino to say, “OW! What? It’s true, you coward!”

 

“ _Enough, both of you!_ ” Atai said in a tone that befitted a school teacher scolding two misbehaving children. He then took a deep breath and said, “ _Am I correct to assume that you want us to come and try and extract the three of you, as that will be incredibly difficult with the blockade in place, as they no doubt have our transponders in their records, and there isn’t enough time to create new ones?_ ”

 

“No. You need to get back to Mandalore and inform the Shadow Alliance about this development, as it’s only a matter of time before the One Sith find you guys, and they need to know that their plans, security, as well as everything else, may be fatally compromised, and that they should accelerate their plans for invasion. Chopper, Butch, and I will find a way to hold out here until you guys get here.” Robonino passionately said, earning a series of incredulous grumbles from Chopper.

 

“ _Robonino, you’re going to have to forgive me for being so blunt, but are you karking insane?!? You’ll never survive alone against an entire army of Sith Lords and their lackeys. We need to get you out of there now, before it’s too late._ ” Atai shockingly said, not fully believing what his Patrolian comrade had just said.

 

“I know that it’s crazy, but I just can’t leave our friends alone while they’re suffering at the hands of the Sith and their lackeys. I have to do this, and there’s nothing that you, or anyone else, for that matter, can say or do to stop me.” Robonino countered, not willing to further argue with one of his six surviving closest friends. “You, on the other hand, need to get out of Sith Space while you still can, and don’t look back, no matter how much you want to.”

 

Atai, realizing that nothing that he could say would convince Robonino to leave the deathtrap that he was on, he sighed in defeat, and said, “ _Well, you certainly don’t lack for courage, and Edaan would be proud of you for that. May the Force be with the three of you, as you’re going to need every advantage that you can get if you want to survive the carnage is coming your way._ ”

 

“And with you, as well, old friend.” Robonino solemnly said as the transmission ended, leaving a very irate Choppper able to try and shock the bounty hunter again, only for Butch to come to Robonino’s defense, growling at the astromech droid as he backed down from his threat, and Robonino said, “Down, boy. Chopper’s just trying to blow off steam, aren’t you, my friend?”

 

After grumbling for a few more moments, Chopper reluctantly nodded his body in confirmation, as he was not fond of being eaten alive by a Sith hound, which left an exhausted RObonino to say, alright, guys, let’s make camp here for a few hours, then we’ll head back into the tombs and try to salvage what we can of the other’s gear, as we’ll need every advantage that we can get if we plan to hold out until our reinforcements get here. Sounds like a plan?”

 

Butch nodded his head in confirmation, and Chopper reluctantly bobbed down in acceptance of the plan, as this mercenary was Chopper’s best hope of rescuing his last two friends in this messed-up galaxy.

 

 _Six Hours Later, In the Mandalore System, Onboard the_ Megador

 

“This is most troubling, Atai.” Luke Skywalker gravely said as he, as well as the other members of the Shadow Alliance’s High Command, absorbed the briefing that Atai Molec and R2-D2 gave to them. After the _Second Chance_ , _Aliit_ , and the remaining ships that were hiding in Khar Delba had made their way to Mandalore, he requested a briefing with all of the Shadow Alliance’s leaders, and what he had to say was very disturbing. According to Atai’s report, Edaan had, beyond everyone’s hopes and expectations, managed to put Vestara Khai on the path of redemption, as well as inflict heavy casualties on the Sith’s infantry forces, and kill several dozen Sith Lords before he, and the surviving members of his covert strike force, were captured by Darth Krayt’s right-hand man, the Chagrian known as Darth Wyyrlok, and Darths Snoke, Malleus, and Sedriss, and only Robonino, Zeb and Sabine’s astromech droid known as “Chopper”, and a tuk’ata that Edaan somehow managed to recruit to his hare-brained cause, and that he named, out of all the possible names out there, “Butch”, had managed to escape the final battle, and were determined to wage a guerilla war on the One Sith until the Shadow Alliance invaded Korriban.

 

“Indeed, Master Skywalker. But the question that we should be asking ourselves now is what we’re going to do about this turn of events.” Nek Bwua’tu calmly said as he considered the information that Atai had brought them. “Thanks to Edaan, the One Sith have lost a significant amount of their ground forces, as well as many of the One Sith’s best warriors, and we now know of a way to enter the planet’s catacombs. On the other hand, now the One Sith have a chance at breaking Edaan and the others, which could compromise Operation: Endgame’s success.”

 

“Don’t worry about Edaan breaking, Supreme Commander. He’s too stubborn and pure-hearted for that to happen. I have faith that he’ll hold out long enough for us to get to Korriban. As for Vestara, well… we’ll see soon enough.” Ben numbly said, as he was still reflecting on the news that Edaan managed to get through to Vestara and bring her back to the Light Side, and what fate awaited the two of them now that they were in Darth Krayt’s clutches.

 

“No disrespect intended, Ben, but Edaan’s going to need more than faith if he thinks that he can redeem Vestara so easily, as well as endure the Sith’s torture for forty-seven days.” Han Solo annoyingly said as scolded his nephew, as he found it hard to believe that Edaan could so easily redeem Vestara after all the betrayals and atrocities that she had committed over the last thirteen years.

 

“Then we just move up the timetable, Solo.” Boba Fett said, more than a little angry that Han had so little faith in the man who had, against insurmountable odds, managed to unite the entire galaxy against the Sith and their legions. “My men should be ready to move out in just three weeks, and we’ll go alone if we have to.”

 

“That won’t be necessary, Mandalore, because the Hutt Grand Council’s fleets should be ready to move out within that timeframe as well.” Azzim Anjilic Atirue grimly said, as he was just as eager to save his longtime friend from the Sith’s demented clutches.

 

“So will the Galactic Empire’s forces, as the troops and Imperial Knights are climbing up the walls, just waiting for the invasion.” Jaina Solo Fel said.

 

“And the rest of the reinforcements from Jedi Order will be ready to move out within sixteen days.” Corran Horn continued.

 

“The Hapes Consortium will be more than willing to attain vengeance against those that threatened the _Chume'da_ , and will happily move ahead of schedule if it means that we can have justice.” Trista Zel eagerly said, earning a grateful nod from Boba Fett.

 

“And the Confederation will be able to move out within that time frame.” Admiral Traest Kre’frey said with much anticipation, as he was eager to finish the job that Edaan Palpatine had started of eradicating the Sith from the Universe.

 

“Then I guess that the Galactic Alliance will support this endeavor, as we want the Sith gone just as much as everyone else.” Gavin Darklighter said in mock-reluctance.

 

“And so will our recruits from my mother’s army of wayward Mandalorians and Galactic Alliance soldiers.” Armand Vorn dutifully said, not wanting to be left out of the matter.

 

After hearing every member of the Shadow Alliance’s War Council commit to an accelerated invasion, Bwua’tu smiled in relief as he said, “I see. Then, if there are no objections, Operation: Endgame will be moved up to exactly twenty-one days from now. Any questions?” After no one spoke, he said, “Well then, we have a lot of work to do, and even less time to do so. So, I recommend that we all get off of our butts, and get to work. May the Force be with us all.”

 

Everyone nodded at Bwua’tu’s last words, and they quickly left the briefing room or cut their holonet connection with the Super Star Destroyer’s briefing room, leaving only Luke, Han, Leia, Jaina, and a heavily conflicted Ben Skywalker sitting in the room.

 

“Ben? How are you holding up?” Jaina sympathetically asked of her younger cousin.

 

“Honestly, I feel like that I’m being torn in two from the inside out, Jaina.” Ben said, not in the mood from any reprimands from his family as he still struggled to come to terms with the news that Robonino had about Vestara, the woman that he still deeply loved, and Ben, his former apprentice that risked everything just for his master’s happiness.

 

“Because of the news that Edaan might have gotten through to Vestara after all, and the guilt that you must be feeling over not believing in Edaan, as well as not being there to help Vestara when she needs your help most?” Leia gently asked, surprising Han, as he still bore a healthy grudge, to put it lightly, against Vestara for her attempt on his granddaughter’s life, even if she really didn’t have a choice, as Edaan claimed.

 

“Come on, Ben. You’re not really buying any of this _poodoo_ , are you?” Han incredulously asked his wife and nephew.

 

“Han!” Leia scolded her husband, as he was being insensitive to Ben’s inner conflict that was raging inside of him at this time.

 

“What? I’m sorry, but I just don’t buy it. How could Edaan have redeemed Vestara so quickly, if at all, if Ben couldn’t, with the bond that they forged together before her betrayal?” Han said while he regretted what he said to his nephew because of his anger.

 

“I don’t blame you, Uncle Han. I don’t know what to feel right now, because I am afraid that any response that I take will lead to even more pain and heartbreak.” Ben said as the tears started to fall over his grief and heartbreak over being without Vestara for over twelve years.

 

“Well, Ben, What does your heart tell you?” Luke patiently said, knowing how conflicted his son was in due to the revelation that Vestara might be redeemed.

 

“That Edaan managed to get through to Vestara, but I’m afraid that she could fall again, even if she had Edaan and I with her.” Ben confessed, anticipating a lot of yelling by his family members.

 

“Ben, I think that the only advice that we can give to you is to trust the Force and your heart, as, if you listen honestly, with a child’s eye, free of any expectations, both of them will never steer you wrong.” Luke honestly and gently said, with Jaina and Leia nodding in affirmation.

 

After he dried his tears, Ben gratefully said, “Thank you, guys. But, I think that it’s best if I’m alone right now, so, I’m heading back to my fighter to fix it up.” He then got up from his seat to walk to the hangar where his StealthX fighter was berthed, leaving the rest of the older Solo-Skywalker clan alone.

 

“Do you think that he’ll be okay, Luke?” Leia asked her brother.

 

“Given enough time, Ben can recover from anything. I have faith in him and his strength of character.” Luke reassuringly said.

 

“Let’s hope so, because in just three weeks, he’ll have to confront his personal demons.” Han said, earning a scowl from his daughter.

 

“Have a little faith in him, Dad. He’s endured much worse than this.” Jaina said in defense in of her cousin.

 

“I believe in Ben, it’s Vestara that worries me.” Han said in correction.

 

“Well, it’s up to the Force now.” Luke said, ending the conversation as he left the briefing room, with Han, Leia, and Jaina following him, as they each had their respective duties within the Shadow Alliance to attend to.

 

**And, that’s a wrap with this latest chapter for _Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War III: Tribulation_. So, tell me what you think, as I estimate that this story had at least ten chapters left to go before I’m finished with it. By the way, on this day, February 9, 2017, in _Dragon Age: Origins: Ultimate Edition_ , I have just freed the werewolves from Zathrian’s curse, and am about to head back to Ostagar. After that, the Landsmeet begins, and I can’t wait to give Howe his comeuppance. Hey, I just realized that I’ve almost surpassed my last story in word count, and that is a huge milestone for me. Oh, and before I forget, yes, I know that I’m a monster for killing off Vua, but I wanted to make this war even more personal for Edaan. And besides, it was only a matter of time before he and his crew’s luck ran out, so I figured to go down that route. Don’t worry; no more of his crewmembers will be killed in this story. As for the last story, well… let’s just wait and see. So, in other fanficiton news, DaWitcher’s story has been updated, as well as N7ArchReaper’s IV: Holocaust, have been updated within the last twenty-four hours and the chapters are amazing. I highly recommend them to all of you guys, as you will not be disappointed. Oh, yes! In Star Wars comic news, this morning, I learned that another crossover will commence this May, and it’s a crossover between _Star Wars_ and _Star Wars: Doctor Aphra_. I can’t wait to get the graphic novel version of it comes out. You can find out more at theforce.net and The Star Wars Underworld. So, I have almost finished the book about that dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan during WWII, and it is very disturbing, as I’m sure that you guys can imagine. It makes me grateful that the Allies won the war, or the world would be a lot darker than it already is, and that’s saying something. Oh, there’s one last thing that I want to tell you guys. I noticed that on several websites the graphic novel _The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars: Part 1_ is available for pre-order, and that a massive amount of people have already purchased it on Amazon. I’m glad that the Avatar universe is continuing, but I am not fond over the… let’s just say, highly controversial ending, as I am not a fan of what the message that they’re trying to send the youth of today, to put it lightly, as I do not want to anger or offend anyone who feels differently than I do. So, feel free to review or shoot me an email, as I need the feedback and constructive criticism. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe! **


	27. Chapter 26

**Greetings, all of my loyal friends and followers! How are you doing on this great Saturday of February 11, 2017? I am absolutely giddy right now, since I got home under an hour ago from seeing the movie _Hidden Figures_ with my father, and it was an enjoyable movie. And, in other, much more exciting news, Powerslammer updated his story _Rajmael of Clan Lavellan_ with yet another brilliant- no. Masterpiece of a chapter of his final arc for the story, and I won’t spoil anything for any of you, but I recommend that you get over to his page, read the forty-fourth chapter of his story, and review it with as much praise as you can, because I know that he deserves it. Anyway, I have finished the book on the atomic bombs that were used in WWII yesterday, and now I am on to a book that is about Pope John Paul II, which is, so far, an interesting piece of literature, and much lighter than the WWII book. So, onto my fanfiction news. By the time that this chapter is finished, I will have surpassed my previous work, _Armageddon_ , in word count, and I still have a ways to go before this story is finished. I promise you that the final story will be very dark (but not too dark) and full of action and death, so don’t worry about the lack of intensity that my stories might have. **

**(February 14, 2017 Addendum.) Hey. How are you doing on this find Valentine’s Day? I am doing fine, although, I am a little lightheaded since I gave blood under three hours ago, so I need to drink a lot more water than I already drink in order to make up for the lost blood. Oh, and, my parents gave me some dark chocolate for Valentine’s Day, as well as a $25 gift card to Amazon, so that’s a big win for me. And to think that my 22 nd birthday is only two weeks from today, I can’t wait for that day, as, if I’m lucky, I plan to get some good stuff for my birthday. Anyway, with all of that out of the way, let’s get on with the story, as this chapter will be full of revelations for both all of your readers all over the world, and the characters of my story. Oh, one more thing. As of yesterday, I have finished the book on Pope John Paul II, and am currently reading a book by a former mayor of New York City (to avoid offending or angering anyone, I won’t say who that former mayor is) and the essence of leadership that a person needs to have. **

**(3:59 PM Addendum.) Hello, everyone! I am sorry for adding yet another addendum to this story, but I have some news that I just found out, and needs to be said right now. About half an hour ago, I got a call from the manager of a local thrift shop that I had been applying for a part-time job at, and I the call stated that I had gotten a much-coveted position there, which has me giddy, as I have been looking for part-time work for over a year ever since I got laid off from my previous position at a nearby Goodwill. Anyway, I had better get back to writing, as once this job begins, I will have a lot less time to write my stories.**

 

_Three Days Later,_

_Day 86 Since the Shadow Alliance’s Formation_

_Seventeen days Until Operation: Endgame_

_0900 Hours_

_Within Darth Krayt’s Citadel_

After two hours of being marched to an ancient Sith stronghold that Edaan assumed could only be the citadel of the One Sith, the thirty-two new prisoners of the Sith were each placed in separate cells, with the exceptions of Edaan and Vestara, who were thrown into a larger cell that was more than big enough to contain the two of them, more than likely as a form of punishment and degradation to Vestara for turning her back on the One Sith.

 

However, all of Edaan’s over the death of his first true friend, Vua, was replaced by shock and bewilderment after he saw who the prisoner was for the cell right across from them: the legendary Jedi Master X2, the clone soldier of the Grand Army of the Republic who was created from the tissues of Jedi Knight Falon Grey before the Clone War, and served with distinction in the Old Republic and First Galactic Empire before deserting over his guilt in killing Jedi Master Ferroda during Order Sixty-Six, as well as objecting to the slaughter of all of the villagers of a settlement on Dantooine. He was later recruited by Jedi Master and Rebel leader Rahm Kota into the fledgling Rebel Alliance, and served with the same level of honor and dedication that he put into serving the Old Republic, and he eventually learned how to use the Force as a Jedi Knight after the Battle of Endor, which put him into conflict with his clone brother, X1, who, after the Empire splintered into multiple factions, became a self-proclaimed Sith Lord, and assembled his own mini-empire, and assembled two armies made up of a rebuilt Separatist battle droid factory and an army of Wookiee clones that were grafted from the cells of Luke Skywalker. After the two brothers clashed on Mustafar, X2 proved victorious, and X1 accidentally killed himself while trying one last gambit to kill X2. Afterwards, X2 became a Jedi Master, where he served with for the next eighteen years until the Yuuzhan Vong invaded the galaxy, and their invasion had reached their climax. While serving on Tatooine in order to stop an incursion by the Peace Brigade and their Yuuzhan Vong masters from claiming the world, only to be captured by the One Sith’s agents during the attack, leaving his allies to presume that he was dead.

 

For the next twenty-eight years, X2 was a prisoner of the One Sith, a victim of so many interrogations and tortures that he lost track of them all, and his mind nearly broke so many times over. At first, the aged Jedi Master suspected that Edaan and Vestara were Sith agents sent to spy on him, and, after a great deal of persuasion on Edaan’s part, X2 calmed down, and, for the next four days, the three prisoners conversed over the current state of the galaxy, and X2 could not believe what he had heard: nearly all on his own, Edaan Palpatine, the sole surviving descendant of Darth Sidious who had the ability to contact the dead in the forms of five Jedi known as Tau, Revan, Meetra Surik, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Jacen Solo, had managed to unite the entire galaxy, which included the Jedi Order, the Galactic Alliance, the Fel Empire, which was the reconstituted Imperial Remnant; the Hapes Consortium, Hutt Space, the Mandalorian clans, and a handful of deserters that were from Admiral Natasi Daala’s Neo Death Watch massive armies and navies, against the One Sith and their remaining minions. He had even managed to play a key role in destroying the Lost Tribe of the Sith on their home world of Kesh, and redeeming Vestara Khai, who was apparently Ben Skywalker’s former girlfriend.

 

With very little water, and even scarcer amounts of food, it was taking all of the strength of the three light-siders to stay conscious, but they persevered, and Edaan could, throughout the haze of darkness that perverted the entire planet, sense the approaching presence of several Sith guards, and, knowing that time was short, he said, “Master X2, Ves, listen carefully. Do either of you two know who A’Sharad Hett is?”

 

Vestara shook her head in confusion, but X2 nodded his head and said, “He was a Clone War veteran, and the son of legendary Jedi Knight Sharad Hett, before he disappeared after Order Sixty-Six. But what does that have to do with our current situation?”

 

“Because, Master X2, I fear that Darth Krayt might be A’Sharad Hett.” Edaan gravely said, shocking both Vestara and X2, which surprised Edaan, who then said, “Ves, you never found out who he was?”

 

“No. Wyyrlok said that I, as well as the rest of the surviving Lost Tribe Sith, had to earn our right to know his true identity. How did _you_ figure it out?” Vestara curiously asked.

 

“Before I arrived at Korriban, Qui-Gon contacted me, and warned me of the probability that A’Sharad and Krayt are the same person. Only a handful of my friends know about this, and I would prefer if fewer people know about it, as this knowledge could put them in even greater danger than they’re already in.” Edaan said as he motioned with his finger for the others to keep quiet as Darths Malleus, Snoke, Sedriss, See-Chok, and eight other heavily armored Sith prison guards appeared in front of their cell doors.

 

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Telloti Cillmam’n, Ezra Bridger, Sidirri, and Shon-Ju, along with eight simple guards.” Edaan mockingly said, hoping to get a rise out of any of the twelve Sith that were in front of him, much to the amusement of Vestara and X2, as well as to the annoyance of Sedriss before he continued, asking, “Are you here to put us out of our misery, or is it finally time for us to meet the warden?”

 

“The latter, Edaan. All three of you, along with most of your friends, have been summoned to meet Lord Krayt. Now, I suggest that you get up and follow us, as the rest of my compatriots are not as friendy as I am.” See-Chok said, much to Edaan’s anger and disgust, as he learned from his friends that the former Jedi Padawan-turned Sith Lord was the one who brutally murdered Vua by causing his heart to explode.

 

“Well, since we’ve got nothing better to do until you all die, why not?” Edaan jokingly said as he, Vestara, and X2 got up from their cells and, after being handcuffed to limit their movements in case they tried anything, followed the twelve Sith Lords to the center of the citadel, where Adari, Jarael, Akku, Jaden, Sabine, Zeb, Dinua, Mirta, and Seelah were each seated at a table that was full of the most extravagant foods there could be, ranging from nerf steaks to bantha milk, with two Sith watching each of the prisoner’s every move, and Darth Wyyrlok sitting near three empty seats, where Darths Snoke and Malleus motioned for the three prisoners to sit down.

 

After the three light siders sat down, Edaan, in an effort to keep his cool despite the nervousness that was coursing through his entire being, asked, “So, where’s the host of this extravagant feast? Doesn’t he know that it’s rude to keep our dinner guests waiting?”

 

“The ‘host’, as you so colloquially put it, Edaan Palpatine, is right here.” Said a very dark and commanding voice from where two giant stone doors began to open, revealing a man covered from head to toe in Vonduun Skerr Kyrric, better known to this galaxy as Vonduun Crab Armor, with a left prosthetic eye and a yellow right eye, which signified his complete dedication to the Dark Side of the Force. His very appearance was enough to make Vestara shiver in her seats, as she knew full well what the Dread Lord of the Sith was capable of, since he helped Luke Skywalker destroy Abeloth in Beyond Shadows over thirteen years ago. As he stood right across from Edaan Palpatine, he stoically said, “So, at last we meet, face-to-face.”

 

Edaan returned the stare that Krayt was giving him with equal intensity, and said, “Well, are you just going to stare at me, or are we going to eat, because I’m sure that everyone here is starving?”

 

“Of course. Where are my manners?” Krayt said, not betraying any emotion as he continued, saying, “After the last four days of intense torture, you all must be starving. Eat and drink to your heart’s content.” After a full minute, with no one taking him up on his offer, he chuckled with a tone that befitted a patient grandfather instead of the leader of the last remaining Sith organization, and said, “Don’t worry, of course the food isn’t poisoned. If I wanted to kill any of you, I would have done it when you were first captured.”

 

Upon hearing those words, Zeb, Mirta, Dinua, Seelah, and X2, the latter of which had not eaten a decent meal in twenty-eight years, began to devour the food, while the others, despite the hunger that consumed them, showed a great deal of discipline as they ate, slowly analyzing every piece of food that they chewed and swallowed.

 

After about twenty minutes of eating and drinking, the twelve prisoners stopped eating, as Krayt got up from his seat, and began to circle the table, slowly examining each prisoner before he stopped above Edaan, and matter-of-factly said, “So, Wyyrlok told me that you know who I am, Palpatine.”

 

“Well, since you don’t seem to be denying what I no doubt told Wyyrlok, so it seems to be true that you are, indeed, _A’Sharad Hett_.” Edaan said with a great deal of venom in his voice as he spat out those last two words, and he continued, saying, “And, you can just call me “Edaan”, as I do not want to be compared to my ancestor.”

 

As soon as Edaan spoke Krayt’s true name, Mirta, Dinua, Mirta, Adari, Jarael, and Seelah appeared shocked at the knowledge that Edaan kept secret from each of them, and Krayt simply smiled as if he were pleased by Edaan, as he said, “You must be one of the smartest Jedi in all of time for you to have figured out my birth name with so little information. Or, did you have some help in figuring it out?”

 

“If you’re so smart, Hett, then why don’t you figure it out?” Edaan retorted, not willing to give Krayt even a slight edge in interrogating him.

 

“Oh, I intend to, Edaan. But first, I wanted each of you to have at least a portion of your strength back, as the next few weeks will be very… trying for your bodies, minds, and spirits.” Krayt replied, not giving in to Edaan’s taunts.

 

“I’m sure that we can handle whatever you dish out, Krayt. But, before you inflict the whatever torture and interrogation methods that you have on us, tell us, how did such a revered Jedi Master of the Old Republic, and hero of the Clone War, no less, manage to raise an army of Sith to take over the galaxy?” Edaan countered.  

 

After a moment passed, Krayt malevolently chuckled, and afterwards, said, “Very well. Since I know so much about all of you, I suppose that it’s only fair that I tell you about how we came to this situation. I’d prepare yourselves for a long explanation, as it will take at least a few hours before you understand why I’m doing all of this.”

 

“Well, with the war between the Light and Dark Sides about to reach its climax in a handful of weeks, I’m sure that we can afford to kill a few hours.” Edaan calmly replied.

 

“Excellent!” Krayt said as he clapped his hands together in approval, and he then said, “And the rest of you, are you willing to hear my tale?”

 

After the eleven other captives looked at each other, each of them arriving at a mutual understanding, they simultaneously nodded their heads in consent, pleasing Darth Krayt even more, while Wyyrlok left the room to attend to a matter that was unknown to Edaan, who, nonetheless, made a mental note of it, as the odds were that it was a matter of significant importance that would be relevant very soon.

 

“Now, no doubt that most of you know who I was as A’Sharad Hett, but, for those of you who do not, let me be brief: I was the son of legendary Jedi Knight and later Tusken Raider Sharad Hett before he was butchered by the bounty hunter known as Aurra Sing. After my father’s death shortly after the Battle of Naboo and the reemergence of the Sith, I became the Padawan of Ki-Adi-Mundi, and, later the Jedi Master simply known as the Dark Woman. Eventually, before the Clone War, I became a Jedi Knight and took on the Nikto Jedi Youngling known as Bhat Jul as my apprentice before his death at the Battle of Aargonar. Later on in the war, I became a Jedi Master and fell in love with Jedi Knight Xiaan Amersu, who gave her life to help end the Siege of Saleucami at the end of the Clone War.” Krayt began, with each of his prisoners listening intently, especially Edaan, as he knew that every piece of information that he discovered about Krayt could be a tool or weapon to use against the Dread Lord of the Sith once the Shadow Alliance arrived on Korriban.

 

_Twenty Minutes Later_

_Deeper Within the One Sith’s Citadel_

 

Darth Wyyrlok could not believe the fortune that had befallen for the One Sith. With the leaders of the Shadow Alliance’s illegal strike force preoccupied by his master’s tales of the past, Wyyrlok was free to carry out and accelerate Krayt’s plans. As he pondered how he would best be used to soon defend the Sith’s holiest planet, he arrived in the citadel’s main laboratory, where the Kaminoan Master Cloner that was known as Nala Se, and human known as Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra, more commonly known by her last name, who just so happened the One Sith’s two best non-force-sensitive doctors, were hard at work with the very precious, as well as very ancient, Rakatan Mindspear, as well as an approximately sixteen-year-old clone of Edaan Palpatine, and a fully developed clone of Jaden Korr, which were created so quickly by using Grand Admiral Thrawn’s proven method of simultaneously using two Spaarti cloning chambers in conjunction with the force-blocking reptiles known as ysalamiri in order to prevent clone madness from overtaking the two Force-sensitive clones. As soon as the two Sith collaborators noticed that Wyyrlok was present, they immediately snapped to attention, and then bowed in the Sith’s presence.

 

“Lord Krrylok. This is an unexpected surprise. To what do we owe the honor of this visit?” Nala Se said in her species trademark calm and unemotional tone, while Aphra rolled her eyes at her compatriot’s sycophantism.

 

“Lord Krayt is busy entertaining the prisoners with tales of his past, so I’m here to ensure that his plans are carried out with maximum efficiency.” Wyyrlok quickly said before he continued, asking, “Are the clones and their mindspears ready for usage?”

 

“Don’t worry about the mindspears, Wyyrlok. I’ve worked with a lot of ancient technology in my time, and they’re in good hands. I just need an hour or two at the most before they’re ready for Lord Krayt’s plans, whatever they are.” Aphra said with her usual haughty tone, which did not annoy Wyyrlok, as he was used to her arrogant attitude, and only desired results from her.

 

He nodded in approval before he turned to Nala Se, who humbly bowed as she said “The Jaden Korr Iteration is ready for the master’s plans, but I would give the Iteration of Edaan Palpatine another day, at most, before it is fully grown.”

 

“Good. Our spies have reported that the Shadow Alliance is moving up its timetable, and we now only have seventeen days until they invade the Horuset System, so there can be no further delays on either of your parts.” Wyyrlok lowly warned as the two sole remaining droids of the First Galactic Empire’s Tarkin Initiative, 0-0-0 and BT-1, better known by their nicknames of “Triple Zero” and” Beetee”, came into view of the Chagrian Sith Lord.

 

“Oh, my! The Shadow Alliance is coming to Korriban?” Triple Zero said in a nervous tone before he continued, joyously saying, “How lovely! I cannot wait to drain the blood of more organics for my power battery, as well as communicate with more of my mechanical brethren.”

 

As soon as Triple Zero finished speaking, Beetee whirled around as he warbled in excitement, and used one of his hidden blaster cannons to shoot a nearby wall, causing Triple Zero to look down at his smaller companion and say, “Now, now, Beetee. We will have plenty of opportunities to kill more ungrateful organics after the Shadow Alliance arrives, so save your bloodlust for the enemy, and don’t damage any of Mistress Aphra’s equipment, as well as Doctor Nala Se’s cloning equipment.”

 

“Boys, cool it!!” Aphra said as if she were scolding two schoolchildren instead of two extremely lethal assassin droids, and she then turned to face Darth Wyyrlok, and apologetically said, “Sorry about that, Lord Wyyrlok. We’ll have the Iterations ready for you by the days end, or my name isn’t Chelli Lona Aphra.”

 

“I hope so, Doctor Aphra, for Lord Krayt will not be as forgiving as I am of your reckless attitude.” Wyyrlok forewarned the ninety-year-old Sith collaborator, which she took to heart, as she remembered the last time that she got on a Dark Lord of the Sith’s bad side, when, after she helped Darth Vader end the renegade Imperial doctor Cylo’s rebellion, Vader repaid her loyalty be throwing her out of an airlock. If it wasn’t for Black Krrsantan, Triple Zero, and Beetee, she would have frozen to death in the vacuum of space.

 

Her unpleasant trip down memory lane was interrupted when Darth Wyyrlok said, “Now then, Doctor Aphra, is Lord Krayt’s other project ready for Edaan Palpatine?”

 

“Y-yes, Lord Wyyrlok. The doctors have all of the advanced cybernetics ready for the enhancement, and the reprogramming gear has been brought up to your specifications.” Aphra dutifully said as she nodded, and then continued, saying, “Though, if I may, Lord Wyyrlok?” Upon seeing Wyyrlok nod his head in acquiesce for the elderly doctor to continue, she said, “I just fail to see how we’re going to break Edaan’s mind, because if he’s even a third as smart and strong-willed as his ancestor, then it will be next to impossible to mold his mind to lead the army of Sith Troopers, let alone break it.”

 

“Do not trouble yourself with that minor detail, Aphra. You just worry about maintaining the equipment and Iterations. As for you, Doctor Nala Se,” Wyyrlok dismissively said as he turned leave the chamber in order to return to his master before he continued, saying, “I will return in exactly eighteen hours to see if Edaan’s Iteration is fully grown. For your sake, I recommend that it be completely grown by then. Otherwise, I will find someone who can do your job, and your people won’t get back on their feet like Lord Krayt agreed to when we first recruited you.”

 

Upon hearing that thinly veiled threat, Nala Se’s eyes widened in shock before she barely managed to croak out, “I-I assure you, Lord Wyyrlok, that I will have the final Iteration ready for usage within the timeframe that you’ve given me.”

 

“Good.” Wyyrlok simply said before he left the room, leaving a very grateful Aphra, and a very fearful Nala Se, alone with Triple Zero and Beetee, and the silence that followed was broken by Triple Zero, who said, “Well, that was bracing. But don’t you think that we should get back to work, as we _are_ on a timetable, you know?”

 

“Yeah, you’re right, Triple Z.” Aphra said, as, even though she enjoyed seeing that stuffy and supremacist Kaminoan shaking in her boots like a petrified little child, she had no desire to see her get killed by a lightsaber.

 

After Aphra poked Nala Se to see if she was still in a trance, the Kaminoan snapped and said, “Stop that! I’m perfectly alright.”

 

“All right. If you say so.” Aphra sarcastically said, knowing otherwise, but deciding not to press the issue, as Triple Zero was right in saying that they were on a timetable. The two women then resumed their work, both eagerly awaiting the chance to get their hands on Edaan Palpatine so that they could practice their craft.

 

**Well, that ends another chapter of my continuation of the Expanded Universe. It won’t be long now before Edaan becomes fully aware of Darth Krayt’s machinations. Oh, and the main reason that Krayt is telling the others of his past is to buy time for Wyyrlok to check up on the vile Aphra and Nala Se, as well as the vain hope that any of the strike force’s leaders will join his cause. Oh, and I have to give away a spoiler for you guys: Edaan and his allies will soon find help from a very unexpected source. So, tell me what you think of this chapter, as I very much value your input. Now, on to other fanfiction news. A few hours ago, RC1115-06 updated his story, “The Choices we make”, and the latest chapter was very exceptional. I cannot wait to see what he has in store next for his characters. So, how are you all doing in school, as I am making good progress in both of my classes for this semester? Well, I guess that that’s all that I have to talk about for today. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**

 


	28. Chapter 27

**Good afternoon, Star Wars Expanded Universe lovers and enthusiasts. How are you doing on this good day of February 16, 2017? I am doing well because, as of a few hours ago, I have met with one of the managers of the thrift shop where I’m going to work, and we decided when I’m going to start my job training. It will be on my birthday, which is February 28, 2017, so at least I’ll have a good dinner afterwards. Oh, and I have to tell you guys that I ordered a bunch of things for my birthday, and, in case you’re wondering, they are _Star Wars: Rebel Rising_ , _Star Wars: Guardians of the Whills_ , _Star Wars: Volume 5: Yoda’s Secret War_ , _Star Wars: Doctor Aphra: Volume 1_ , _Transformers: Armada: The Complete Series_ , and _Transformers: Cybertron: The Complete Series_. I can’t wait for each of those products to get here, as first off, I enjoyed both _Armada_ and _Cybertron_ , but not _Energon_ , though, as I’ve mentioned at least once before. Also, I can’t wait for more Star Wars books and comics, as I desperately need more Star Wars content, but I’m not willing to spend too much money on them, as I have other things that I need to save my money for. So, speaking of Star Wars, are you guys excited for more episodes of _Star Wars Rebels_ this Saturday, and the return of what I consider to be the true Mandalorians (No Expanded Universe pun intended.), because I know that I am? Oh, and, I hope that you guys are excited for the hit video game, _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ , that will come out in just thirty-three days, because I hope to get the game the day it comes out. Well, I guess that that’s all that I wanted to talk about for today. So, without further ado, I give you the latest chapter of Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War III: Tribulation! I hope that you like it.**

**(February 17, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everybody. How are you doing on this warm afternoon? I am well, as I bought seven books from my local thrift shop that I volunteer at, which made my mom very angry, as I already have so many books to read as it is, and MandoCommander’s latest fanfiction, _Star Wars: Rebels: The Promised Day_ , was just updated by two chapters, which I will enjoy very soon. Oh, and, just one more day until “Legacy of Mandalore” becomes available on demand, and I am going to watch it as soon as I can, after I go work out at a local gym, because my mother signed the two of us up for one in order to get some exercise and lose some weight. **

**(8:26 PM Addendum.) Sorry for adding another addendum, but I have some news that cannot afford to wait. As I’m sure that most of you are aware of, Lucasfilm has announced the novel that will be released after _Thrawn_ , and it is Star Wars: Inferno Squad. It details the First Galactic Empire’s attempts to eradicate the remainder of Saw Gerrera’s Partisans after the events of Rogue One, and it will be written by Christie Golden, who did three books in the hit series, _Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi_ , as well as Star Wars: Dark Disciple. It is set to be released on July 25th, and I don’t know about you guysm but that sounds like a great addition to anyone’s collection, and I’m going to buy it, as I’m sure that I can integrate it into my head canon. Oh, and apparently, I am going hiking with my dad on Sunday, so I can cancel whatever plans I had for a good portion of the day. Well, at least I’ll be getting some exercise, as well as spend some time with my old man. That’s always a plus. Well, back to the story. **

 

_Twenty Minutes Later_

As Wyyrlok arrived back at the dining hall, he could hear his master finish his sorrowful tale of how he became the Dread Lord of the Sith, as well as sense the sorrow and anguish that came off of most of the prisoners, minus Garazeb Orrelios and Jarael Chantique. He then heard the telepathic voice of his master, who said, _Is everything prepared to enact the endgame, Wyyrlok?_

 

 _Everything will be prepared within the next eighteen hours, Master. Aphra is ready with the Mindspears, and Nala Se’s Iteration of Jaden Korr is complete, and Edaan Palpatine’s Iteration will finish being grown by tomorrow._ Wyyrlok mentally replied, expecting a severe lashing from his master.

 

 _Very good._ Krayt said, surprising Wyyrlok, afterwards, Krayt continued, saying, _I sense that you are troubled by something, my loyal servant. What is it?_

_I just do not see why you are revealing your past to the Jedi, Master. If the Shadow Alliance were to discover your true identity, then they could use the knowledge of your past accomplishments against you._ Wyyrlok respectfully said as he prepared to sit back down at the dining table.

 

 _Do not worry, Wyyrlok. The Jedi will never know about my past, because I have your daughter preparing our Sith Sorcerers in order to mentally condition our guests’ minds, thereby preventing them from speaking of the information to anyone, even to themselves. And, there is always a chance, however remote, that some of our prisoner’s may join our side, and any help that we receive will be a boon for us when we conquer the galaxy._ Krayt said in order to reassure his loyal right hand’s troubled mind.

 

 _I see. Then I will trust in your judgment, as always, my master._ Wyyrlok said, placated by his master’s contingencies and schemes.

 

After Krayt nodded, both in acknowledgment of Wyyrlok’s concession and of his presence, he concluded his tale, saying, “Once I escaped the Yuuzhan Vong’s captivity, I came back to Korriban, where my path down the Dark Side truly began, and began to form the core of my Sith army. From there, I awaited the day that the One Sith could make our move and assault the galaxy, waiting out the rule of Darth Caedus, and the emergence of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, only making my order known to the Jedi Order when Abeloth became Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance on Coruscant, and I helped Luke Skywalker eliminate Abeloth in the realm known as Beyond Shadows.”

 

“Damn that Vergere!” Edaan cursed out, much to everyone’s, especially his wife, shock, as he never cursed anyone before, not even Natasi Daala and her Force-hating minions. After Edaan calmed down, he sensed Adari’s confusion, and said to her, “Sorry, but Vergere was, along with the Sith Lady Lumiya, responsible for creating Darth Caedus during Jacen’s time in captivity with the Yuuzhan Vong, which caused the deaths of so many good people on both sides of the Second Galactic Civil War. And, from what Krayt just said, she was an apprentice of Darth Sidious, so you’ll have to forgive my outburst, no matter how good it might have felt.”

 

“Uh… for all of us that can’t use the Force, what’s Beyond Shadows?” Zeb asked, as he was completely lost as to what Krayt was talking about, and wanted to avoid Edaan getting even angrier at anyone, as he knew how dangerous Edaan was when he let his emotions guide him.

 

“Yeah, I’m a bit lost myself, and I can use the Force.” Seelah said in equal confusion.

 

“Beyond Shadows is a realm within the Force that a Force-sensitive can mentally travel to in order to contact the dead.” Edaan, calming himself down in order to avoid another incident like the one on Mandalore before Natasi Daala invaded the planet academically said, which surprised everyone besides Akku, Adari, Jarael, and Jaden, as they knew of the realm, either from the Jedi Council, or Edaan’s own admission of the place during the former three’s journeys together, while Krayt just gave an approving nod.

 

“Precisely, young Jedi. And, that, to… how is it that the people of this generation say it, again… ‘Put it in a nutshell’, is how I became Darth Krayt.” Krayt said.

 

As soon as Krayt stopped talking, Edaan cried out, “You still haven’t told us why you are doing this. What’s the point behind all of the proxies, the shadow hands, the needless deaths that are being caused by you and your minions? What’s the point for causing so much strife and chaos across the galaxy?!?”

 

“Because, Edaan Palpatine, I want what all of you want: An orderly galaxy. But no one, the Jedi, the Galactic Alliance, the Empire, not even the Mandalorians, have the strength of character to do what needs to be done in order to save it from itself. Look at the original Jedi Order and the Old and New Republics. If they were so righteous and powerful, then they should have survived the Clone War and Yuuzhan Vong Invasion, and emerged stronger from it. Instead, both organizations were brought down from within due to corruption, arrogance, and their own blind certainty, and so many innocent lives were lost due to their blindness.” Krayt fervently declared, shocking everyone present with the passion that he put into his voice as he spoke.

 

After taking a full minute to realize just what it was that Krayt was fighting for, Edaan suddenly said, “Then come back to the Jedi Order, Hett.” Upon hearing those words, Krayt, along with Wyyrlok and the rest of the present Sith, along with all of Edaan’s loved ones and comrades, looked at him as if he had grown a second head. He then continued, saying, “We both want the same thing, a stable galaxy, we just disagree on how best to do it. I know that, deep down, you just want to do what you feel to be best for the galaxy.”

 

After staring at Edaan full a full thirty seconds, Krayt disappointedly shook his head and said, “You truly are a Jedi through and through, Edaan Palpatine. How you managed to unite the galaxy against me, as well as outmaneuver me at every turn up until now, is beyond me.”

 

“Because we’re two sides of the same coin, Hett. We’re both the scions of powerful Force-sensitives, the two of us were heroes to our respective Jedi Orders, and we each raised powerful armies to help accomplish our noble goals.” Edaan insisted, not willing to give up what could very well be his only shot at getting through to the Dread Lord of the Sith.

 

“You naïve fool. Only a strong and firm hand can achieve order and stability across the galaxy. And, if the Jedi and their allies aren’t going to take up the reins, then it falls upon the Sith to do so.” Krayt angrily replied.

 

“But the Sith have been brought down time and time again by treachery and deceit. Look at the Brotherhood of the Sith, Darth Revan and Darth Ruin’s Sith Empires, the Brotherhood of Darkness, and the Order of the Sith Lords, and you’ll find a common theme: the Sith always betray each other in order to have all of the power. What’s to stop your order from following the same fate?” Edaan calmly countered, remembering all of the knowledge that the Jedi Archives and his teachers, both alive and deceased, taught him.

 

“My Sith order does not seek power for power itself, but as a means to an end. We act as one body, and will work together to achieve my goals.” Krayt rebutted.

 

“That sounds eerily similar to the Jedi Order, Hett. Perhaps we’re not as different as I thought.” Edaan said as if he were talking to himself.

 

Krayt, however, heard those words, and, rather than demean himself by explode in rage, he calmed himself, and suddenly said, “Do you know why the Jedi were unable to sense the Sith until Qui-Gon encountered them on Tatooine, Edaan Palpatine?”

 

After getting over his initial shock, and seeing that everyone else was in a similar state of surprise, Edaan said, “Just what kind of a question is that, Hett?”

 

“Just tell me what you know, Edaan.” Krayt said in a tone that would brook no argument.

“Okay, then. Well, according to the records that Tionne Solusar and other archivists rediscovered, the Sith stayed far away from the Galactic Core for a time, and clung to the dark shadows of the galaxy’s fringes, as well as Dark Side nexuses, and planets such as Ambria, as well as the moon of Jaguada. It was only until two hundred years before the Battle of Yavin that Darth Tenebrous’s master decided to create a tear in the Force that the Jedi could sense, letting them know that the Sith had survived, but the Jedi, foolishly enough, dismissed the warning and instead focused on the Prophecy of the Chosen One.” Edaan said, recalling what he remembered from his learnings.

 

“That is true enough, Edaan Palpatine. But are you aware that there is a Sith shrine underneath the Jedi Temple?” Krayt suddenly said, which flabbergasted all of the twelve prisoners, and left the other Sith present aghast at this revelation.

 

“What are you talking about, Hett?” Edaan numbly said after the initial shock wore off.

 

“So, you didn’t know, then.” Krayt smugly said. “Tell, me, Edaan, how many times did the SIth attack Coruscant?”

 

“At least twice, during the Great Hyperspace War, and the Sacking of Coruscant, Hett. What does that… no, no, no. It can’t be.” Edaan said in denial of what Krayt was inferring.

 

“What is he talking about, Edaan?” Jaden asked, confused beyond belief at what the Dread Lord of the Sith had just said.

 

“The darkness that I felt when I was in the Jedi Temple, and when I returned to find out the truth about Vestara’s actions, I thought that it was a result of the battle that was fought there against Lord Nyax, as well as Operation: Knightfall. It also further explains why the Jedi couldn’t sense the presence of Darths Sidious, Maul, and Plagueis when they were on Coruscant.” Edaan said to himself, before he asked Krayt, “When was the Sith shrine built, Hett?”

 

“It was erected above a Force wellspring during the Sith Empire’s invasion of Coruscant. The Jedi destroyed most of the shrine, and then built their temple above the ruins. However, what the Jedi didn’t know was that a portion of the shrine, along with a massive trove of Sith holocrons and artifacts, survived the desecration, and slowly, over the centuries, wormed its way into the Jedi Temple’s structure, aiding the Jedi’s already deteriorating insight into the Force, contributing to the chaos of the Mandalorian Wars, the Jedi Civil War, the Great Galactic War, the New Sith Wars, the Clone War, and the Second Galactic Civil War. So you see, young Jedi, the Sith have always had the advantage in our wars, and why your vaunted order’s sight has been so poor on Coruscant.”

 

Edaan had no words to say at this, as his mind was still processing the implications of what Darth Krayt had told him. Yes, the old Jedi Order grew arrogant in their power and certainty, and lost sight of truly serving the Force, but this new revelation changed everything, as it was if the Dark Side of the Force planned for the future wars between the Jedi and Sith, and placed a secret weapon within Coruscant to undermine the forces of the Light Side of the Force.

 

In order to keep Edaan from losing his mind at the new revelations, Sabine said, “Okay, if what you say is true, then why in the galaxy would you tell us about this, Hett? You know that as soon as the Shadow Alliance breaks us out of this mad prison, we’ll tell them everything that we’ve learned about you and the Sith shrine.”

 

“Because, Sabine Wren, I want you to understand why your cause, however admirable it may be, is pointless, as once the Jedi return to Coruscant, their sight will be blinded again, and the pointless cycle between the Light and Dark Sides of the Force will continue without end, killing trillions of people caught in the middle of our wars. And, more importantly, by the time that the next day is over, you will either be serving me, or you will be rotting in prison for the rest of your very short lives.” Krayt menacingly said, causing Zeb, Dinua, and Mirta to gulp in nervousness in response to Krayt’s not-so-subtle threat.  

“We’ll die before we join your mad cause, A’Sharad Hett.” Akku vehemently said, surprising everyone with the level of emotion that he spoke with, as he was always the calm, cool, and collected type of Anzati and Mandalorian.

 

“What he said.” Jarael said in concurrence with Akku before she continued, saying, “We’ve come too far to give in to the forces of darkness now, and we’re as sure as hell not going to stop now.”

 

Every other member of Edaan’s strike force nodded in affirmation at Akku and Jarael’s remarks, and they stood their ground in the face of such opposition, which astounded Edaan with how loyal his friends were loyal to him and his cause, and how he would have to thank them for their friendship when all of this was over.

 

“Well, you are all a disappointment, then. I admit that I admire your loyalty to one another, as well as the dedication that Edaan elicits from each of you, but I’m afraid that such blind idealism fails in the face of common sense. I suppose that we will have to do this the hard way, then.” Krayt disappointedly said as he nodded to Wyyrlok, who then motioned for the Sith to take their prisoners back to their cells. As soon as the prisoners were out of hearing range, Krayt said to Wyyrlok, “Inform our Sith Sorcerers to prepare their rituals for locking the information in our prisoner’s minds. I want it done by tomorrow’s end.”

 

“It will be done at once, my master.” Wyyrlok dutifully said before his master got up from his chair.

 

But, before the Chagrian could leave the room, Krayt stopped him by saying, “There is one more loose end that must be attended to, Wyyrlok. Find and capture the Patrolian bounty hunter, the astromech droid, and the renegade tuk’ata hound that Edaan managed to turn to his cause that managed to escape capture. We cannot afford to have any other distractions, as even the smallest unknown variable could be the deciding factor between survival and death for the inevitable siege that he Jedi will soon inflict on us.”

 

“It will be done at once, my master. I will lead the search parties myself, if you so desire.” Wyyrlok loyally said, earning a pleased nod from Krayt, who then left the room to return to his private chambers, where a mediation chamber awaited him, so that he could focus his efforts in preparing for the coming war.

 

_Meanwhile, Just Outside of Darth Krayt’s Citadel_

 

“Man, that place just spells ‘doom and gloom.’ Right, guys?” Robonino nonchalantly asked the adjacent astromech droid and tuk’ata hound as he observed the citadel that was guarded by at least ten Sith Lords, as well as twenty tuk’ata.

 

Chopper just beeped in affirmation, and displayed his electroshock prod in a desire to shock and kill any and all who came between him and his mission to save his last two remaining true friends in this mad galaxy, while Butch just looked on with amusement at the astromech droid’s antics.

 

‘Whoa! Easy there, Chopper.” Robonino said in a calming tone before he continued, confidently saying, “I want to help the others out too, but going down there with all guns blazing isn’t going to get us anything except a one-way ticket to the afterlife. No, what we need right now in order to get into this stronghold is stealth, and I think I have an idea on how to do it.”

 

With that, Robonino explained to his last two free allies how they would infiltrate the Sith stronghold, and, after about thirty minutes of planning, the three fighters set to work on getting their compatriots out of prison.

 

**And, that’s a wrap on another filler chapter of my story. Sorry that there wasn’t any action or suspense in it, but it will build up for more revelations and surprises along the way. Now, on to questions that you must have about my story. The idea for a Sith shrine below the Jedi Temple wasn’t my idea, it was introduced into Disney canon by revered Star Wars author James Luceno in his novel _Star Wars: Tarkin_. I’m sure that some of you are understandably angry with me for including more of Disney’s content, but it made sense to me that the Sith Shrine be included. No, it doesn’t excuse the Old Jedi Order for their arrogance in the Rise of the Empire Era, but it played a crucial role in their downfall, as it helps better explain why so many of the Sith orders were unable to be found for so long over the millennia until they revealed themselves. Now, onto more pleasant matters. Did you guys see the latest _Star Wars Rebels_ episode on demand yet, because it was awesome? I won’t spoil too much for you guys, but I will say that I hope that Sabine returns to the Ghost crew in the Season Three finale, or I will be disappointed over having such a crucial character of the show be relegated to such a minor role. So, with this chapter finished, I have surpassed 120,000 words in this story alone, and I still have a ways to go until this story is done. And, I don’t even want to think about how lone the final story will be. Oh, and Pepser, thank you for following my first story, and I hope that you enjoy what comes next, as I am sure that it will rock your world. Well, that’s it for me for today. I hope to see all of you for my next chapter, as I’m sure that it will be great, even though I have no idea how it will end. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the expanded Universe! **


	29. Chapter 28

**Hey, all of my loyal fans. How are you doing on this warm Sunday of February 19, 2017? I am well, as I am currently watching the original battle between Goku and Frieza on YouTube, and it is stellar! I have also watched most of two of the latest episodes of _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_ , and they are amazing. I can’t wait to see the final two episodes of the season. So, how are you all doing after that shocking episode of _Star Wars Rebels_ that premiered last night, as I am still reeling from the repercussions of that episode? I also wonder how MandoCommander will be able to integrate that episode into his stories, if he integrates it at all. And, speaking of fanfictions, I hope that any one of my twenty-two unfinished favorite fanfictions are updated soon, as I crave more fictional literature that can be read for free on one of my favorite websites. Anyway, I hope that you guys enjoy the latest chapter in my story, as it may be the last filler chapter in this story before the main plot kicks back into high gear. Well, I’d better get back to writing this story, as Robonino, Butch, and Chopper have a lot of work to do if they’re going to infiltrate Darth Krayt’s citadel and save their friends. By the way, I think that I will pull upon an idea from _Star Wars: Legacy: Claws of the Dragon_. I’m sure that once you read it, you’ll know what it is. May the Force be with them, as they’re going to need it if they intend to survive the horrors that await them inside. Oh, one last thing. Pesper, sorry for getting your username wrong when I thanked you in my last chapter, it won’t happen again. **

**(February 20, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, all of my fellow Americans. How are you doing on this warm President’s Day? I am doing well, as I already walked a couple of miles with my parents this morning, and we then went to Viva Chicken for lunch, where I had a great sandwich and fries with some awesome Gringo Killer Sauce. Currently, I am listening to an awesome theme from DBZ: The History Of Trunks on YouTube. It’s titled Future Gohan VS. Androids Theme, and it is on coycoy88’s page, and it is amazing! You have got to check it out for yourself. I promise that you will not be disappointed. Anyway, I hope that all is well with all of you, and I look forward to any reviews or questions that you might have regarding my stories, as I very much want some feedback. Well, I’d better get back to the story.**

After having Chopper scan the area with his long-range scanning equipment, the three warriors found what they were looking for, a little-known entrance at the bottom of the citadel that was only lightly guarded, with two Sith guards watching over the entrance. Donning a Sith Robe that Robonino had stolen from a corpse at the battle site after he returned to see if any other of his friends had survived, only to come across a slaughter for both sides, applying some of Sabine’s black paint on himself and Chopper in order to disguise themselves, and carrying several Yuuzhan Vong Thud Bugs that Vua Rapuung had secreted away on his being, which had the benefit of shielding the Patrolian bounty hunter from the Force, the three fighters quietly made their way down to the secret entrance, and, with Butch and Chopper distracting the two guards with the astromech droid’s string of curses, Robonino shot two slow-acting toxic darts at the two guards, which would, over the next few hours, gradually kill the two Sith warriors while making it seem like natural causes.

 

With the sentries out of the way, the three fighters made their way into the citadel, where, after wandering about for two hours, they discovered that the One Sith were preparing for war, as they were, along with the elite Mandalorians, the Zygerrian Slavers Guild, and renegade corporate forces of Neo Death Watch, arming the citadel with heavy turbolasers, and shipping in massive amounts of cybernetic parts that neither Chopper or Robonino could identify. Remembering the reason that they were here, they quickly made their way to where a computer with a droid interface was available, and Chopper quickly plugged into, and found where Edaan was being kept, along with Vestara Khai and a Jedi Master named X2. The three fighters made their way to the cells, where, after bluffing their way through the first set of wardens, they ran into two Sith guards, and the woman who stood on the right said, “Halt! By order of Lord Krayt, no one is to enter this prison without his approval. State you name so we can confirm it with Lord Wyyrlok.”

 

“My name is… Darth Nihl. And who might you be as to keep me from bringing Vestara Khai, X2, and Edaan Palpatine to Darth Krayt for interrogation, you worthless peons?” Robonino said with as much authority as he could muster.

 

Robonino’s impersonation was enough to fool the man on the left before the woman said, “Wait a minute. I know exactly who you are, Robonino, C1-10P, and Butch! DIE!!!” With that said, Butch and Chopper launched themselves at their larger opponents, and, after holding them off for a brief period of time, the two Sith ‘s legs were slit by Robonino, who had a _beskar_ dagger that he took from a dead Mandalorian, and, once they fell to their knees in pain, he slit their necks, killing them instantly.

 

After wiping the blood off of his blade and picking up the three lightsabers that the two Sith carried, Robonino said, “Well, we’d better hurry, as I’m sure that the entire Sith order picked up on that disturbance in the Force.” Robonino nervously said, which earned an approving grunt from Butch, and a nod from Chopper. The three saboteurs then entered cellblock 23.

 

_Five Minutes Earlier, Inside Cell Block 23_

“Ah. I feel like such an idiot! What was I thinking, believing that I could redeem Krayt to the Light Side?” Edaan berated himself as he punched a wall in frustration, leaving his left hand a bloodied and battered mess.

 

“Edaan, calm down. No one ever said that you were a fool.” X2 said in a consoling tone in order to ease his younger compatriot’s mind.

 

“True, but I’m sure that you two and the others were thinking it.” Edaan bitterly replied before he continued, saying, “How could we not have realized that a Sith shrine, a _karking_ shrine, for crying out loud, that contained Force-knows how many Sith artifacts, has been underneath the Jedi Temple on Coruscant for _five thousand years_?!? What does that say about the vaunted wisdom of the Jedi Order if we can’t figure out what’s literally right beneath us?” He then sank to the floor, and despondently said, “I see that I was arrogant in my thinking to think that it would be so easy to vanquish the Sith, and that I grew overconfident with my abilities and skills to see the danger that I put all of us in.”

 

“Edaan, if you don’t get ahold of yourself within the next ten seconds, then I will use the Force to smack you upside the head so many times so you’ll be hurting for days.” Vestara said, more than fed up with Edaan virtually giving up the fight, as well as shouldering all of the blame for what has transpired.

 

“But, Vestara, it was my fault that so many of us got killed, and I’m the reason that we’re awaiting who knows what from the Sith.” Edaan protested, not understanding why Vestara was berating him.

 

“Wrong, Edaan. You are _not_ an arrogant person. You are one of the most humble and gentle people that I know. And everyone that came with you to Korriban knew the risks that entailed this mission, but they followed you because they believed in you, and the survivors _still_ believe in you. Are you going to abandon them all to a fate worse than death in order to appease your pathetic guilt?” Vestara passionately countered, shocking Edaan as to how much the former Sith believed in him after such a short period of time.

 

After realizing that the young Jedi was simply wallowing in self-pity and virtually whining over a setback, Edaan ardently said, “No. We’re going to survive this if we work together, and, once the Shadow Alliance gets here, we’re going to excise the Sith’s influence across the galaxy once and for all!”

 

Vestara smiled in response, and she said, “Good. There’s the Edaan that I know.”

 

X2 nodded, and then said to Vestara, “Vestara, you were a member of the One Sith for some time, you must have some idea of what they’re up to. What are the One Sith’s capabilities, as well as their chances of beating the Shadow Alliance?”

 

“Well, they have at least two twenty-two hundred Sith alive, but we took a good chunk out of their numbers before what was left of the strike team was captured, and I imagine that the strike team further reduced the amount of foot soldiers that the One Sith have by a significant amount when they were in Dreshdae. But, I have a couple of ideas as to what the Sith are up to.” Vestara said.

 

“Well, don’t keep us in suspense, Ves. What’s Krayt up to?” Edaan nervously said, as he had a feeling that he would not like the answer that his friend had.

 

“Well, I know that he has a cloning program up and running that’s led by a Kaminoan named Nala Se, who-” Vestara began before she was interrupted by X2.

 

“Hold on, Vestara. Did you just say _Nala Se_? AS in, the same Nala Se who was one of the chief engineers behind the Grand Army of the Republic?” X2 astonishingly asked, with Edaan similarly shocked as his jaw fell agape, and his brow then contracted in anger and disgust.

 

“That’s correct. I assume that you know her, X2, given your origins as a Jedi clone grown on Kamino?” Vestara said in confirmation.

 

“Oh, yeah. She, along with Ko Sai, purged the army of any ‘deficiencies’, which almost always meant murdering any clones that didn’t fit their perfectionist standards. She especially hated me and my brother, X1, for our gifts in the Force, even though they barely manifested themselves in us when we were training for the GAR.” X2 disgustingly said, while Edaan gritted his teeth in anger upon being reminded of the name, which the two other Force-Sensitves that were in proximity to Edaan, and X2 said, “I take it that you know of her, Edaan?”

 

“Oh, I wish that I didn’t, Master X2. Nala Se was, in addition to being the demented _schutta_ that she was, was also one of the few Kaminoans that knew of the control chips that were placed into every clone in order to ensure that when my ancestor activated Order Sixty-Six, the clones would follow it without question.” Edaan hatefully said, shocking both X2 and Vestara, as they did not know about any control chips that the clones were implanted with.

 

“Hold on, Edaan. What do you mean by ‘control chips’?” Vestara asked, more than a little confused by what Edaan was referring to.

 

“What, Ship or Krayt never told you of this?” Edaan skeptically said, upon saying those words, Vestara shook her head in denial, leaving a stunned Edaan before he continued, saying, “The spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn told me the story. During the Outer Rim Sieges, a clone trooper that went by the name of Tup went insane and killed a Jedi General named Tiplar, leading to an investigation by the Republic that was covered up by the Kaminoans as a virus from Ringo Vinda. However, one of the clones assigned to the investigation that was named Fives conducted his own investigation, and, after meeting with Sidious on Coruscant, he discovered that every clone upon becoming a Stage 3 embryo, was implanted with an inhibitor chip that would brainwash every clone into thinking that the Jedi were traitors to the Republic, and were to be executed on sight. Only a few clones resisted the order, whether due to a greater degree of willpower than their brethren, or having no chip in them at all due to unforeseen circumstances, or another unseen variable, and helped a few Jedi escape the Great Jedi Purge that followed Order Sixty-Six.”

 

“How did Qui-Gon discover this knowledge, Edaan?” X2 said, not believing what he had just heard, as he thought that Fives tried to kill Palpatine due to a virus, not upon discovering a massive conspiracy.

 

“Yoda told him of what he learned from the reports that Sidious gave to the Jedi Council, and I learned a few more details that another clone learned about in his own investigations, a Clone Trooper Medic by the name of Kix.” Edaan said, causing X2 to gasp in shock, and he then said, “I take it that you know of the name, X2.”

 

“Yes, I do. Kix was the best medic that the 501st legion had during the Clone War, but was kidnapped by Separatist forces, and was never heard from again. How could he have survived for all of this time?” X2 disbelievingly said.

 

“Well, he was placed in stasis until twenty-one years ago, and joined a group of scavengers and smugglers under the command of a Delphidian named Sidan Ithano, who rescued him from stasis, and in return, Kix helped Sidan and his crew uncover various Confederate catches that remained undiscovered until that point. I found Kix during a mission to Napdu several years ago, and, once he told me of his story, I convinced him and his crew to tell his tale to the Jedi Council. They were generously paid for their time, of course, and I let them go on their merry way after that. I never saw them again.” Edaan wistfully said as he wondered what became of that clone medic.

 

He then broke out of his reverie and asked Vestara, “Well, if Nala Se is working for the Sith, then there’s bound to be a cloning program going on. Are there any other major projects going on that we should know about?”

 

“Well, there were rumors that a doctor by the name of Aphra is working on a big cybernetics project for Darth Krayt, but I couldn’t learn too much about it, as it was a closely guarded secret, and only Darths Wyyrlok and Krayt knew what Aphra was up to.” Vestara explained, causing Edaan’s eyes to widen in shock.

 

“Did you just say ‘Aphra’? As in Ceheli Lona Aphra, a rogue archeologist who was Darth Vader’s former partner and right-hand woman during Doctor Cylo’s insurrection against Sidious after the Battle of Cymoon 1, which occurred about a year after the Battle of Yavin, before she was double-crossed by Vader and left adrift in space?” Edaan disbelievingly said, causing Vestara to nod her head in confirmation, before he asked, “How did she survive the vacuum of space, and are her two personal droids with her?”

 

“Apparently, Black Krrsantan rescued her from space, and the two, along with her two murderous droids, 0-0-0 and BT-1, traveled the galaxy in search of rare artifacts for profit, and even ran into Luke Skywalker and Han Solo sometime after Vader betrayed her, before they were recruited into Krayt’s Sith order as proxies around height of the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion.” Vestara explained, and, just as she finished speaking, the cell door opened, and revealed three very familiar faces that Edaan and Vestara were amazed to see, while X2 looked on in shock as a tuk’ata ran up to Edaan and began to lick his face with joy, while a Patrolian that was covered in intricate Sith tattoos looked on in amusement, a tuk’ata hound barked in joy upon seeing Edaan and Vestara, and a black C1 astromech droid set to work on deactivating the cell doors.

 

“Well, seems that we’ve arrived just in time to save the day, boss.” Robonino confidently said.

 

“Robo, I have never been so glad to see you.” Edaan said in relief as Chopper finished shutting down the electrified cell doors, and Butch leapt on Edaan with joy, with an amused Vestara looking on as she got up from her cell to stretch.

 

X2, on the other hand, got up after a brief struggle, and said, “Uh… can someone explain to me what is going on here?”

 

“Let me guess, you’re another prisoner that the Sith have been keeping prisoner?” Robonino nonchalantly asked before he continued, saying, “Well, my name is Robonino, and Edaan here is my best friend, and I am busting him and the rest of my friends, including Vestara here, out of this madhouse. Whether or not you follow is entirely up to you, but I suggest that you take it, as we only have a short amount of time before the rest of the One Sith arrive to capture us.”

 

“Well, I can’t say no to an offer like that.” X2 said as he grunted and fell over, revealing a long series of scars that crisscrossed his lower body, and he then sadly said, “Well, that was embarrassing.”

 

“X2, you’re in no condition to fight. Here’s the plan, Vestara and I will release all of the prisoners in order to distract the guards, while you get X2 and the others to safety, and relay a message to the Shadow Alliance on Mandalore. With luck, we’ll be right behind you.” Edaan ordered of both the older Jedi and his longtime friend.

 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Sorry, boss, but that plan’s a no-go, as we’re not leaving without the two of you.” Robonino ardently said, with Butch barking in approval, forcing Edaan to sigh in exasperation at the waste of time.

 

“Robo, this is not time for a debate. Just do what I say!” Edaan barked out as he used the Dark Side to briefly make his eyes flash yellow in order to exemplify the urgency of the situation.

 

“O-okay, boss.” Robonino fearfully said, as he never saw his friend’s eyes change color like that, or at all, for the matter. He then reached into his backpack to reveal three Sith lightsabers, and gave one of them to each of the three newly liberated prisoners. “I have a feeling that you’re going to need these if you intend to survive the army of Sith that are coming your way.” He then said in complete seriousness. “So, how are you two going to divert the Sith from our positon, as it will take a while for us to get X2 here out of this hellhole?”

 

“We’ll go first, and release every prisoner that we find in order to throw the Sith into disarray, giving you guys the time they need to get the others out of their cells, as well as their equipment, which should be in the citadel’s armory or artifact room.” Vestara said before she turned to X2, and said, “X2, it’s up to you to tell the Shadow Alliance about all that we’ve learned, so they can take the necessary steps to finishing what Edaan started. Understood?” After seeing him nod in understanding, she said, “Good. May the Force be with us all.” With those words said, Vestara motioned for Edaan to follow her, with Butch in close pursuit, both exasperating and amazing Edaan with how loyal Butch was to his master.

 

“All right, all right, boy. You can stay.” Edaan said in mock defeat, earning a pleasing bark from the tuk’ata hound, and an amused smile from Vestara, and the three soon ran into their first group of prisoners, a mixed group of a dozen people of various species, who looked at the three fighters with suspicion and hate. Edaan quickly and passionately said, “If you want to remain the victims of the Sith, then you can stay in your cells. But, if you want to fight your way to freedom, then follow me, and you shall have your righteous vengeance against your captors!”

 

Upon hearing those words, all but one of the prisoners’ eyes lit up in glee, and rose up in order to follow Edaan and Vestara to their battles. The small army then came across a group of five Sith, and the leader of them shouted, “GET BACK IN YOUR CELLS, OR YOU’LL ALL BE SKEWERED BY OUR BLADES!!!”

 

Upon hearing those words, the Yinchorri among the newly liberated prisoners laughed, and said, “Oh, how I’ve longed for the day that I could bathe my hands in the blood of you Sith maggots.” He then charged at the Sith with a ferocity and speed that no one could match, ripping apart two of the Sith before being pierced in the heart by the lead Sith Lord. However, seeing two of the Sith’s number die so easily emboldened the ten other prisoners, and, in a matter of moments, with the help of Edaan, Vestara, and Butch, the three remaining Sith were literally ripped apart or cut to pieces by the convicts.

 

After the carnage died down, a middle-aged male Zabrak asked Edaan, “Thanks for the rescue, we’ve been captive by the Sith for years, and we’ve lost a lot of friends to those brutes. I have to admit, I didn’t think that Kitai would be one of our rescuers. So, just who are you? A Jedi, probably, given with how well you used that blade.”

 

“We have little time, so I’ll be brief. I am Jedi Knight Edaan Palpatine, yes, that ‘Palpatine’, and we’re going to liberate as many prisoners as we can so that we can give time for my friends to escape with critical information that will bring down the Sith for good. Are you in, or do we go our separate ways from here?” Edaan quickly said.

 

After looking at each of the nine other prisoners, who nodded their heads in affirmation, the Zabrak said, “We’re in. Where do we go from here?”

 

Edaan looked down at the dead Sith, and said, “Do any of you know how to use lightsabers, as I can sense that most of you are strong in the Force?”

 

“Yeah. Most of us were from various Force sects that each emphasized combat with the blade.” Said a Bothan female who used the Force to pull one of the fallen lightsabers to her extended hand.

 

“Good. With luck, you’ll each get a lightsaber before long. Let’s move out!” Edaan said as he and Vestara led the way, while he prayed to the Force that most of these people would survive in the likelihood that they were caught after a long and vicious fight.

 

_Meanwhile, In Darth Wyyrlok’s Chambers_

 

“Master, the Patrolian has revealed himself, and has released Edaan, Vestara, and X2. I am ordering all available forces to intercept the six fighters, and I am about to head down to personally contain the situation before any of our prisoners can escape the Citadel.” Wyyrlok said as he kneeled to the hologram of his master.

 

“ _Belay that order, Wyyrlok. I will go down to the prison myself in order to crush Edaan’s rebellion. Our prototype Sith Troopers need a test drive anyway, so Edaan’s ironically enough, played right into our hands._ ” Krayt viciously said as a savage grin covered his face, with Wyyrlok’s eyes shooting up in shock.

 

“The Sith Troopers? They’re already ready for combat?” Wyyrlok incredulously said as he absorbed what Darth Krayt had just told him.

 

“ _Yes, my loyal servant. Aphra and her staff have proven to be a most wise investment. Make sure that no Sith interfere in my hunt, or there will be consequences._ ” Krayt simply said as he disconnected the transmission, leaving a stunned Wyyrlok to contemplate the introduction of the Sith Troopers, and their implications for the One Sith.

 

**And, that’s a wrap on this action-packed chapter. Sorry if the first part of this chapter didn’t make much sense, but if I went into too much detail, the chapter might never have been finished. So, tell me what you think about all of the implications of this chapter, and what it might mean for this saga. What did you think about the inclusion of Kix and Sidan Ithano in my saga, as I wanted to include Kix in my stories for quite some time now? Oh, and what did you think of the early introduction of the Sith Troopers, as that is the project that Black Krrsantan inferred to several chapters ago? I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, as there will be plenty of additional surprises for the heroes and villains of this glorious saga. SO, onto real life. As of today, on February 21, 2017, I got the 2016 edition of _Ben-Hur_ , _Transformers: Armada: The Complete Series_ , and _Transformers: Cybertron: The Complete Series_ from Amazon.com, and I can’t wait to watch all of them. Oh, and, one week from now, I start training on my third job. In additon, next Tuesday is my 22 nd birthday, as that’s always exciting. One more thing, as of yesterday, I ordered a book on Eisenhower and the Middle East from Amazon for under seven dollars, shipping included. I can’t wait to get that book and read it one day, as it promises to be an exciting read. I hope that all of you enjoy my works, as the best is yet to come. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	30. Chapter 29

**Force bless all of you Star Wars Expanded Universe lovers! How are you doing on this good day of February 22, 2017? I am well, as I recently got back from volunteering at my local library, and am currently listening to music on my brother’s old iPod in order to keep myself entertained while I write. So, get this; not long ago, I had some trouble in my online class at my community college due to a quiz that a bombed, but I brought my grade up quite a bit with a superb essay that I wrote, and now my grade is a solid B-. With luck, I can get my grade up to at least an A- before the semester is over. In addition, I watched two old episodes of _Transformers: Armada_ yesterday, the first two episodes with Jetfire and Thrust in them, and they were just as great as I remembered, despite a few animation errors. Oh, and I just saw that tfaw.com has made the first comic book issue of Mass Effect: Discovery available to the public. It’s too bad, though, as I will probably wait for the graphic novel to come out in order to save a few dollars, as I don’t want to pay over $4 for a comic book. Hey, speaking of comic books, have you guys seen the latest chapter of _Injustice: Ground Zero_ , because it is pretty good, except for one thing that confuses me: the all-of-a-sudden relationship between Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. It makes no sense story wise to include the relationship, since it came out of nowhere, despite the previous establishment of the relationship in other comics, which I found out a couple of days after learning of this, unless they’ve got some secret story plotline to include, which better be good to offset this controversial relationship. So, onto better and happier news, it is only six days until I start my training at my new job at a local thrift shop, and boy, does it have me excited. It will be good to be a paid member of the workforce again, as I haven’t been an employee of anyone since February of last year. One more thing, did you guys see the latest preview of _Star Wars Rebels_ that includes Colonel Yularen and a ripped Thrawn, because I think that we will enjoy this episode very much. Well, I’d better get back to writing, as I know that many of you are chomping at the bit for some action in my stories. **

**(February 25, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everybody. How are you doing on this warm day of winter, which I still find hard to believe? I am well, but a little exhausted, as I just walked four miles up and down a mountain, and boy, was the first half quite a challenge for me. At least I got to spend time with my dad while we hiked. And, on a more exciting note, as of last night, I discovered a great fanfiction called “Escape”, and is a crossover between Dragon Ball Z and Legend of Korra. I would recommend it to any fan of the two shows, as I promise you that you won’t be disappointed. Oh, and there’s just three days until I start my training for my third job, and until my 22 nd birthday. I am so excited for both of these things. **

_Thirty Minutes Later_

“Edaan did WHAT?!?” Adari said in shock and outrage as she got out from her cell, faced Robonino, and said. “Of all the times to make himself a martyr, he does it now, when we need him now more than ever.”

 

“I know, right?” Robonino said in agreement before he continued, saying, look, I don’t like it any more than you do, but Edaan, Vestara, and Butch may be giving their lives for us to escape, so we’d better make the most of it. Akku, Sabine! You two help me free any prisoners that we come across, because we’re going to need all the strength in numbers that we can muster if we’re going to escape this place.”

 

Both Mandalorians nodded at the orders given to them, while Zeb incredulously said, “Hey, who put you in charge, small fry?”

 

“Edaan did, big guy. There’s not time to argue anyway, as X2 told me that we’ve got a lot of powerful Sith heading our way, so we need to move NOW!” Robonino curtly said, ending any argument that the Lasat supreme commander might have had.

 

Jaden Korr quickly grabbed the lightsaber that Robonino offered to him, and gravely said to his elderly superior, “I hope that you are up for a lot of running, Master X2, because we’re going to need all of the speed that we can muster if we’re going to escape the Sith onslaught.”

 

“Don’t worry about me, Jaden. We need to get to the communications room in order to inform the Shadow Alliance about Krayt’s identity, as well as the Sith’s cloning program, and the Sith shrine that’s beneath the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.” X2 said, causing everyone to look at him as if he had grown a second head.

 

“Okay, if no one else is going to say it, I will: ARE YOU KARKING INSANE?!?” Zeb bellowed out to the wounded Jedi Master before he continued, saying, “There’s who knows how many Sith heading right this way. We need to get out of here, and then we can warn the Shadow Alliance!”

 

“The information that Edaan and Vestara entrusted me with is much more important than our lives. And, besides, we’ll never escape Korriban without a fleet of ships, and the Shadow Alliance isn’t ready to invade yet.” X2 argued.

 

He would have argued further if not for Jaden, who said, “We don’t have time for this! Like Robonino and Zeb said, we’ve got an army of Sith coming for us, and we need weapons, supplies, and armor if we’re going to make it to the surface. We can stop at the communications room and relay a message to Mandalore from there, as I know where it is, and it’s not too far from the Citadel’s entrance. Now, if there are no further arguments, let’s get moving, as there’s not much time left.”

 

Both X2 and Zeb were mollified at this compromise, and everyone else that could operate a lightsaber took one from either Robonino or Chopper.

 

_Twenty Minutes Later, Near the Cloning Labs_

Edaan, Vestara, Butch, and the fifty prisoners that the three had managed to liberate, were slowly but steadily making their way where Vestara said that Nala Se and Chelli Lona Aphra were operating from. They had managed to kill thirty Sith that had the misfortune to be in the convicts’ way, which gave most of the prisoners weapons, in addition to the Force-sensitivity that most of the prisoners possessed, making them even more lethal.

 

“We’re getting close, Ves!” Edaan shouted as he back flipped to avoid a swing from a Togruta Sith Lord’s lightsaber, and allowed two of the prisoners that were covering him to deal with him while he dealt with a Twi’lek Sith Lady that was about to overwhelm three of Edaan’s allies.

 

As he made short work of the Sith Lady, who could not have been much older than Edaan, Vestara said, “I know, Edaan! I can sense the presence of Aphra and Nala Se about fifty meters directly ahead. But I think that they have some Ysalamiri in the room, as something’s blocking my senses deeper into the lab.”

 

“Well, then, we’ll just have to find out what they’re up to, won’t we, my friend?” Edaan said, earning a smile from Vestara before she helped the prisoners devastate four more Sith before the twenty surviving Sith fled the area, confusing the fifty-three fighters, as they never thought that the Sith would flee from a fight.

 

“Well, that was unexpected.” Jesse Willsam, the Zabrak that first prisoner that joined Edaan and Vestara’s small army of escaped felons, suspiciously said, before he turned to Vestara, saying, “You have any ideas as to why the Sith are fleeing, Vestara?”

 

“No, and that’s what worries me, Jesse.” Vestara gravely said, which made Jesse even more nervous than he already was. “We’d better take care of whatever Nala Se and Aphra have planned for Krayt, or we may never be able to fight our way out of this deathtrap.”

 

“Agreed.” Edaan said as he came upon the door that led into the main cloning chamber, and, after using the Force to probe for any traps or defenses hidden on the other side, as well as sense who was in the chamber, he opened his eyes and viciously growled out, “Oh, I can’t wait to get my hands on Nala Se and chew her out for what she and her kind have done to the galaxy.”

 

“Edaan, you’re scaring me, and that’s saying something, since I was, until you came along, a vicious and remorseless Sith Lady whose best and only friend was a Sith meditation sphere named ‘Ship’.” Vestara cautiously said, not liking this dark and vengeful side of Edaan.

 

“Sorry, Ves, but my blood is boiling upon seeing one of the key perpetrators behind Order Sixty-Six and the rise of Sidious’s Galactic Empire. I have to look her in the eyes in order to see if she feels even the slightest sign of remorse for her sins. After that, I’ll leave it up to the Force to see if she should live or die.” Edaan said without a trace of emotion in his voice as he used the Force to open the door. Once the door fully opened, he used his lightsaber as a glow-rod, and, with Vestara, Butch, and five prisoners leading the way.

 

After about five minutes of searching, the eight fighters arrived in the center of the lab and found a sight that shocked Edaan and Vestara to the core of their being: within two heavily modified Spaarti cloning chambers laid a nearly fully-developed clone of Edaan, and a fully grown clone of Jaden Korr.

 

Edaan was so shocked that he did not realize that he could not call upon the Force, which meant that everyone was within the ysalamiri’s range of influence, when he heard an old and stoic voice say from behind him, “Magnificent, aren’t they?”

 

The eight fighters then turned around, and came upon two elderly woman, one human with long silver hair that Edaan had to assume was Chelli Lona Aphra, and the other, who was the one who spoke to Edaan, was a very aged Kaminoan that Edaan recognized all too well from his history lessons back at the Jedi Temple on Shedu Maad as the reviled and immoral Kaminoan scientist called Nala Se.

 

“If by ‘magnificent’ you mean ‘victims of Sith corruption’ that should have never been created with the cells of me and Jaden, then yes, they are ‘magnificent.’” Edaan said, his voice full of revilement and disgust upon realizing that these clones were going to be used in Krayt’s growing army of followers against the Jedi.

 

“’Victims?’ Hardly, Edaan Palpatine. They are Iterations that are improvements over the original source material, genetically modified to be stronger, faster, and smarter than you and Jaden. And, unlike you two, they are bred for perfect obedience. So, once their programming has been completed, they will serve the One Sith as infiltrators that will tear the Shadow Alliance apart from the inside out.” Nala Se said, her glee not at all contained as she had a look on her face that befitted someone winning a scientific achievement instead of creating abominations of the Force.

 

“Great, Nala Se. You’ve just told Edaan and the turncoat here all about our plans. Is there anything else that you forgot to blab about, or should I take over from here?” Aphra angrily said, fearful upon the retribution that the two of them would face when Darth Krayt heard about this breach in secrecy.

 

“I hardly think that that matters, Aphra, given that the prisoners are about to be recaptured by yours and Lord Krayt’s creations.” Nala Se dismissingly said, further infuriating Edaan over the two women’s lack of morality, their willingness to serve the Sith in their heinous schemes, and their lack of concern for their own safety now that they were outnumbered and cornered in their own lab.

 

“Before I make a decision about what to do with you two lackeys, I need to know something from the two of you, and I need to know it _now_.” Edaan disgustingly growled out.

 

“Oh, and what makes you think that you are in a position to demand anything of us, _Jedi Knight Palpatine_?” Nala Se condescendingly growled out, offended that a person who she thought to be inferior to her would have the audacity to talk a genius like her with such arrogance and anger as if she had done something wrong.

 

“Because, if you don’t answer my questions with complete honesty, then I’ll have my friends here tear the two of you, as well as Aphra’s murderbots that are bound to be somewhere in this room, apart like a roasted nerf at dinnertime.” Edaan said, his tone bordering on murderous as he took a step closer to the two women.

 

“Well, since neither of us have any desire to die for some time, I see no problem as to why we can’t answer a couple of questions, Edaan.” Aphra nonchalantly said as she shrugged her shoulders, and then said, “Fire away, Edaan.”

 

“Okay. My question is this; Why would the two of you, after everything that the two of you and your people suffer at the hands of the Sith and their minions, join forces to work with a madman like Darth Krayt and his Sith order?!?” Edaan disgustingly asked as he struggled to keep his anger in check.

 

“Because, Edaan Palpatine, it was the Jedi Order’s fault that my people are on the verge of an economic collapse. The same Jedi Order that now flourishes at the expense of every loyal servant of your ancestor’s Galactic Empire, who I was a proud patriot and servant of while it was at its peak before the First Galactic Civil War.” Nala venomously said at the young Jedi, further infuriating him as he trembled in rage, only to be held back by the firm hand of Vestara.

 

Afraid that he could explode at any second, he let Vestara speak for him as she repulsively said, “Wrong, Nala Se. Your people have only themselves to blame for their own troubles, as they did the Order of the Sith Lords’ bidding without asking any questions, which resulted in the deaths of so many Jedi, resistance fighters, and civilians; and, when things didn’t go their way after the Clone War, your people revolted against the Empire in order to maintain their ill-gotten status and prestige. It astounds me to wonder why you were a member of the Empire for so long after your people tried to take even more power for themselves.”

 

“Lord Krayt has promised to restore us to our rightful place in the galaxy once he takes over in order to cull the weak from the galaxy in order to make room for the strong. That is why I serve him so willingly.” Nala Se passionately said, causing Vestara to shake her head in disappointment.

 

“Wrong, Nala Se. The Sith have always lost to the Jedi in one form or another, and this time will be no different. The only difference here is that once the Jedi and the Shadow Alliance win the war, your people will be broken and rebuilt into a force for good instead of your own twisted pride and arrogance.” Vestara rebuffed.

 

After giving an impressed whistle that was directed at Vestara, Aphra said, “Well, at least you think big, Vestara, so I have to give you that. And it helps to set big goals for yourself.”

 

“And you, Chelli Lona Aphra? Why would a person who was thrown into space by her own Sith patron, even if he was a selfish bastard like Darth Vader, serve yet another Sith order? Why? Was it for adventure, or was it for some forbidden or immoral challenge that you wanted to solve in your arrogance?” Edaan snarled as he came even closer to the edge of losing his grip on his usually tightly-controlled anger.

 

“That, and so much more, Edaan. I get to work with so many great artifacts and uncover their secrets, as well as be with people who don’t have any limitations, such as ethics and morals.” Aphra confidently said, not at all phased by Edaan’s rising anger and disgust.

 

“Did it ever occur to you, Aphra, that some things were better left undiscovered, such as Celestial, Kwa, Gree, and Rakatan technology, as they were too dangerous and unpredictable to be safely used?” Edaan angrily replied, expecting a smart-mouthed reply in response.

 

“Maybe for an average scientist, but I haven’t come across a piece of technology that I couldn’t crack after a good series of studies, and the Sith are more than willing to finance and support my research as long as I give them results, which I have in great detail.” Aphra boldly said, which did not surprise Edaan in the slightest, as he expected an egomaniacal remark in that regards.

 

“Your selfishness and ego sicken me, Aphra. You can’t even see the damage that you are causing to the entire galaxy. I can understand your antipathy towards the Jedi, given how they failed to save your mother, but you could have done so much more with your life than just gather and experiment on monumentally dangerous artifacts for maniacs that want to conquer and enslave the entire galaxy.” Edaan snarled out as he noticed a shadow moving in the darkness, and moved to intercept it, revealing a black protocol droid that was carrying a datapad, and a black astromech droid that had a massive array of weapons extending from several hidden compartments.

 

“Am I correct to assume that you two are Doctor Aphra’s only remaining friends and allies, Triple Zero and Beetee?” Edaan angrily asked as he held his lightsaber in a Form III position in order to deflect any blaster bolts that Beetee shot at him.

 

“That is correct, Edaan Palpatine. And, let me just say that I am sorry that we have to capture you, as I admire you and how you treat droids with respect and dignity, unlike most people in this wretched galaxy.” Triple Zero sympathetically replied.

 

“Nice try, Triple Zero, but you’re not going to capture me, even with whatever surprises that you and the others have in store for my friends and comrades.” Edaan confidently said as he raised his blade to deliver a killing blow against the assassin droid, only to be punched in the face by a mechanical hand.

 

Edaan found himself flung across the room, only to be caught by Vestara’s quick use of the Force, who was outside the ysalamiri’s sphere of influence, and gently lowered him down, only to look on in shock upon seeing who attacked him: two Sith, heavily armored and covered in a vast array of cybernetics were standing behind Nala Se and Aphra, and their heads were covered by simple and very vicious Sith masks.

 

“I admire your resiliency and courage, Edaan, but, you haven’t met the One Sith’s secret weapons yet: the first of many Sith Troopers, modified through extensive cybernetic implants near birth in order to ensure complete and perfect obedience, as well as any prisoners that are exceptionally strong in the Force that Lord Krayt deems worthy of such an honor.” Nala Se said, her voice swelling with pride at hers and Aphra’s best collaboration, while Aphra took note of Edaan’s trembling, and correctly guessed that his shaking was not due to pain, so she readied herself for the fight of her life, as she knew that nothing was worse than an angry Force-sensitive.

 

Unfortunately for her, this declaration was enough to push Edaan over the edge as he got up, his eyes glowing a dangerous and sickly yellow, and whispered, “Are you telling me that Krayt and his lackeys have been murdering children’s families in order to get to said children that he enslaves to his will, and never gives them, as well as the prisoners that he captures and brainwashes, things that any decent teacher would give to their students?”

 

“Why would he? They are his best creations, as they completely belong to him in body, mind, and spirit, and nothing that you say or do can make them abandon their master.” Nala Se arrogantly replied, pegging Edaan’s anger due to his pathetic concepts of morality and decency.

 

“That’s what I thought. Then it pains me to do this, but there’s only one way for us to set them free from the enslavement that they must be in.” Edaan angrily said, disgusted beyond belief at Krayt for falling so far in his mad quest to establish order, his followers for not asking questions about this project, and Nala Se and Aphra for being such willing collaborators in this heinous project. As he forced himself to drift back to the Light Side of the Force causing his eyes to return to normal, he then turned to face Vestara and the rest of their allies, who were equally angry at such a morally depraved experiment going on to children and their fellow prisoners, and addressed them, saying, “You know what we have to do to give them the freedom that they deserve. Give the enemy no quarter, as they will give you none. One last thing: Leave Nala Se, Aphra, and her two droids to me.” And with that, he charged at the two Sith troopers, with everyone else following suit, and all hell broke loose within the laboratory.

 

_Meanwhile, In the Communications Room_

“Whew. All right, we’re here. Now, could someone please explain to me what we’re doing in the communications room instead of getting the heck out of here?” Robonino said as he took several deep breaths to recover from all of the running that he had just done.

 

“We need to get a message to the Shadow Alliance about Krayt’s plans, as well as his identity, as this information could prove pivotal in finally ending the war between the Jedi and Sith.” X2 said as he struggled to get to the keypad in order to type the message, only to be stopped by Sabine.

 

“Master X2, we can’t trust the reliability of the Sith’s technology at first glance. Chopper, make sure that it’s safe to use.” Sabine ordered, with the grumpy astromech droid moving to plug into the network and purge the system of any safeguards or defenses that the computers might have.

 

After Chopper raised one of his retractable manipulator arms in confirmation that the system was safe to use, Mirta gratefully patted Chopper on the head and said, “Okay. Let’s get a transmission going to _Mand’alor_ , as I know how to reach his personal Holonet frequency.”

 

After about three minutes of waiting, the holographic projection of Mirta’s grandfather appeared, and stoically said, “ _Good to see that you all are still alive. If I didn’t recognize Mirta’s personal frequency in the transmission, then I would never have recognized or accepted it. Not, what’s going on with your impromptu mission?_ ”

 

“Good to see you too, _Ba’buir_.” Mirta said, her voice full of relief before she took on a serious expression and said, “We have vital information that must reach the rest of the Shadow Alliance’s High Command, and we don’t have much time, so I’ll let Jedi Master X2 take over from here.”

 

“Well, I never expected to see you again, X2. But let’s skip the pleasantries, as the Sith are trying to jam this transmission on their end.” Boba, said, getting right down to business.

 

“Thanks, Fett. We have several pieces of information that you need to remember, as we won’t get a second chance at sharing this information with you. First off, the Sith, along with Doctor Nala Se, are leading a cloning project of some kind, while Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra is leading a cybernetics project, both projects must be to bolster the One Sith’s ranks with powerful and obedient Force-sensitives.” X2 quickly and gratefully said.

 

“ _We already knew about Aphra being alive and working for the Sith, but not about Nala Se._ ” Boba reflectively said before he motioned for X2 to continue.

 

“Even more importantly, we discovered that there’s a secret Sith Shrine underneath the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, placed there during the original Sith Empire’s forces during their brief attack on the planet during the Great Hyperspace War, and it’s been corrupting the Jedi’s judgment and vision into the Force ever since.” X2 gravely said, greatly stunning Boba.

 

“ _You’re serious? No, you’d never joke about something like this, so you must be serious._ ” Boba shockingly said before he recomposed himself and asked, “ _Anything else?_ ”

 

“One last thing, Fett. We discovered who Darth Krayt really is. He’s a former Jedi of the Old Republic named-” X2 began to say before he saw the transmission being garbled, and, despite Sabine and Chopper’s best efforts, the signal was quickly lost, causing X2 to angrily slam his hand on the console, and then say, “DAMN IT!! We were so close!”

 

“Uh… guys, we’ve got company!” Robonino nervously said as he pointed to about fifty feet away from his position, where several heavily armored Sith were cutting through the ranks of the prisoners with little to no casualties.

 

“Well, here we go again.” Sabine sighed out as she ignited the Darksaber and prepared to charge at the unknown enemies, with everyone else getting ready to fight as well with their recently liberated weapons from the trophy room.

 

**And, that’s a wrap. Sorry that this chapter took a little longer than expected, but I needed to make sure that this chapter was a good one, as it debuted the Sith Troopers for the first time in my stories. So, tell me what you think of this chapter, as long as your criticism is constructive and not hateful. So, what have you guys been up to this week, as I have discovered a great series of fanfictions created by TheBaneOfHumanity that are a series of crossovers between the _Avatar_ universe and _Transformers Prime_ , and, by the Allspark, they are amazing! I would highly recommend them to anyone that’s a fan of either series. Oh, and, today I saw the last episode of TMNT Season Four, and it was amazing! I was so glad for Super Shredder to die, as he had it coming for killing Splinter in the last episode. I can’t wait for the next season to start in three weeks, as I know that it will be a great one. I hope that you all have a great February 26, 2017, as I sure am, and I know that I only have two more days until my birthday, as well as start my new job at a local thrift shop. One last thing, I hope that you enjoyed my portrayals of both Nala Se and Aphra, as I wanted them to stay as much in character as possible. Well, I guess that that’s that for today. May the Force Be With you, and Long Live the Expanded Universe! **


	31. Chapter 30

**Hello, all of loyal and loving fans! How are you doing on this cool day of February 27, 2017? I am well, as I have done some homework so far, and will soon expect the book on Eisenhower and the Middle East. By the way, speaking of good books, I have, so far, finished a book by Rudolph Giuliani about leadership, as well as a book on Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli pirates, and both of the books were amazing! I am currently reading a book on Ronald Reagan, why he was great, and why it matters in today’s age. Oh, and, as you no doubt know by now, tomorrow is my 22 nd birthday, and the first day of my training at my new job. Tomorrow is going to be a great day, and not just because I have two good books coming my way that day. So, are you guys listening to any good music, as I am currently listening to “High School Musical 3: Senior Year: Scream”, and I just love the internal conflict that Troy Bolton goes through, as I can relate to it in a small way. Oh, before I forget, MandoCommander updated _Star Wars: Rebels: The Promised Day_ several hours ago, and I can’t wait to read it, as it promises to be a great blend of the original and new timelines of the Expanded Universe. Well, now that all of the small talk’s out of the way, I’d better get started on this chapter, which, as I’m sure that you can imagine, will have a lot of action, and will conclude the prison break in my story, and set the stage for a very dark part of my story, which will hopefully justify me making this story an M-rated fanfiction. May the Force be with all of my heroes in the dark days to come before the Shadow Alliance gets to Korriban, because they will need it.**

**(March 1, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, all of my friends that love fanfiction. How are you doing on this warm day of winter? I am doing well, as yesterday was my birthday, and I received plenty of good gifts from friends and family, such as books, money, a gift card to a local comic book store, and the hit movie _Hacksaw Ridge_. Oh, and I started my job training yesterday, and it went splendid, in case any of you were wondering. So, I can’t wait for _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ to come out in twenty measly days, as I want to play it very soon. Well, I guess that that’s it for this update, so, let’s get back to the story. **

_Ten Minutes Later, in the Cloning Laboratory_

Edaan, Vestara, Butch, and their twenty remaining liberated prisoners were just finishing off the last Sith trooper, as well as destroying a trigger-happy BT-1, cutting the arms off of 0-0-0, and surrounding Nala Se and Aphra when Edaan sensed a very dark and familiar presence coming into the room from behind him, and turned to face Darth Krayt and his ten Sith troopers that flanked him.

 

“Hett. What respect I had for you has turned into pity and disgust! How could you allow Nala Se and Aphra to experiment on children and turn them into weapons of mass destruction?!?” Edaan disgustingly demanded of the former Jedi.

 

“You of all people should know that in order to achieve your goals, sacrifices have to be made, Edaan Palpatine. Now, either surrender here and now, or I’ll have your friends killed where they stand.” Krayt said in a tone that was devoid of any pity of regret.

 

“You’re bluffing, Hett.” Vestara said in denial, refusing to believe that her newfound friends and comrades could so easily be captured by a bunch of low-ranking Sith.

 

“One the contrary, Vestara, we have them in custody, and my Sith troopers are prepared to execute them upon my command.” Krayt said in rebuttal before Edaan’s eyes shot up.

 

“How many Sith troopers, do you have, Hett?” Edaan said in disbelief, despite him not wanting to know how many children were turned into monstrosities, but asking anyway in order to get a better understanding of the enemies that the Shadow Alliance would soon face.

 

“About forty-one survived the defense that you and your friends put up, Edaan, which is a testament to your friend’s tenacity and determination to destroy us.” Krayt said in a respectful tone, which surprised Edaan.

 

“Let me make sure that my friends are alright, then we’ll talk surrender.” Edaan angrily said, surprising Jesse and the remaining prisoners, as they refused to go down quietly.

 

“Very well.” Krayt conceded before pulling out a comlink and activated it, saying to a Sith trooper that appeared in the projection, “Show us the prisoners.”

 

“By your command, Lord Krayt.” The Sith trooper loyally said, before revealing the images of Mirta, Akku, Dinua, Robonino, Adari, Zeb, Chopper, Jaden, X2, Sabine, Jarael, and the four dozen Mandalorians, Lasats, and recaptured Sith prisoners kneeling on the ground with their hands held behind their heads, with several Sith troopers keeping watch over them, and seven Sith troopers corpses spread across the floor.

 

“Adari!” Edaan worriedly said, earning a grateful smile and glance from his wife before she was shoved back down by a Sith trooper, enraging Edaan before he said, “What do you want, Krayt?”

 

“Come now, you should know the answer to that, young Palpatine: Your unconditional surrender, as I have plans for you, plans that Nala Se have already revealed to you, so there’s no need for me to explain them to you.” Krayt smugly said.

 

“If I do this, then I have one condition that must be met.” Edaan said, surprising everyone but Krayt present, who merely nodded for the young Jedi to continue, who then said, “Do whatever you want with me, but you have to treat my friends honorably, as prisoners of war, and no torture on any of them, especially Adari or Vestara, or we will go down fighting to the bitter end.”

 

“Bargaining assumes that we are equals, Edaan Palpatine, which we are not, in this case. However, your loyalty to your friends and comrades impresses me.” Krayt said in a respectful tone, which surprised Edaan, as he expected a series of insults and derogatory terms to come from the Dread Lord of the Sith’s mouth. However, what Krayt said next surprised Edaan, even more, and he said, “Then we have an agreement. I get you, and your loved ones, friends, and fellow prisoners get to live.”

 

Edaan then nodded his head in agreement, which shocked everyone, especially Adari, Robonino, Vestara, and Sabine, as they never thought to see the day that Edaan would place his fate in Krayt’s merciless hands.

 

“ _Edaan, don’t do this! You don’t know what Krayt has in store for you, and-_ ” Adari protested before she was beaten by a Sith trooper.

 

“Speak only when Lord Krayt tells you to, weakling!” The Sith trooper said.

 

“Don’t worry about me, love. Just promise me one thing: Live to fight another day, all of you.” Edaan tenderly said to her before he spoke to everyone with those last three words.

 

“ _We will, old friend. Just look after yourself._ ” Akku said to Edaan, who wasn’t beaten up by a Sith trooper since Darth Krayt held up his hand in order to call the Sith trooper off.

 

“I will.” Edaan solemnly said as the remaining prisoners, including Vestara, were disarmed and taken out of the cloning lab, while Edaan was taken to a solitary confinement cell.

 

Once Edaan was escorted out of the room, Krayt turned to Nala Se and Aphra, and stoically said to the latter, who was crying as she examined the remains of BT-1, “Can you repair your assistants, Aphra, as we still have a use for your droids?”

 

“’Fraid not, sir. Edaan and his friends completely destroyed Beetee’s inner workings. I hope that whatever you have in store for the Jedi, I can be a part of, as I now hate Edaan Palpatine.” Aphra venomously said.

 

“I can grant that request, Aphra. Now then…” Krayt menacingly said as he turned to face Nala Se, and then darkly shouted to the Kaminoan scientist, “What possessed you to tell Edaan and Vestara about our Iterations, as well as our Sith Trooper project?! HE COULD HAVE ESCAPED AND TOLD THE JEDI ABOUT OUR PLANS!!!”

 

“I knew that Black Krrsantan had told the Jedi and their allies what he knew about or Sith trooper project, and I needed to stall for time until you had arrived with reinforcements, Lord Krayt.” As Krayt activated his lightsaber in anger, and raised it to strike the woman down, she began to panic until she remembered a crucial fact that could save her life, “And, there may be a chance that you can draw Edaan to the Dark Side, my master!”

 

The lightsaber stopped mere inches from her skinny neck, and Krayt said, “What do you mean?”

 

Seeing her chance to live, she quickly said, “When Edaan interrogated me and Doctor Aphra for information, I noticed that once we told him about your two secret projects, his eyes turned completely yellow, and his entire body was trembling with what I assume to be rage and disgust over our accomplishments.

 

Krayt then turned to Aphra and a disarmed Triple Zero, and then said, “Is this true? Did Edaan’s eyes indeed glow yellow?”

 

“Oh, indeed, Master! His eyes were as yellow as a sun’s were. Why, if poor Beetee were here with us, he could show you footage of the event.” Triple Zero mournfully said as he stared at the broken pieces of his longtime friend.

 

“It’s true, boss. I never thought that such a saint like Jedi could be so scary, but when his eyes turned yellow, I felt like I was ready to have a heart attack out of fear for what he would have done had you not have shown up.” Aphra said in further confirmation of Nala Se’s statement.

 

Krayt found this new information hard to believe, as he knew that Edaan was one of the most honorable and noble Jedi that he ever met. However, he slowly found himself believing it, as he knew how strong Edaan’s senses of justice and compassion were, and he could only imagine how enraged the young Jedi was when he found out about the Sith trooper and Iteration projects. Once he deliberated whether or not to kill Nala Se for her blatant breach of secrecy, he slowly lowered his lightsaber, and menacingly said, “If I so much as smell another arrogant act like that, I will clone you, and then butcher you and let the clone take your place. And, I will let your people rot like they deserve, Nala Se. Do you understand?”

 

“Completely, Lord Krayt.” The Kaminoan cloner dutifully said in her returning stoic and deferring tone, before she continued, saying, “Well, it looks like the Sith troopers were a great success, as they decimated the prisoners during their pathetic revolt, and over eighty percent of them survived their trial by fire. I assume that, once the iterations are completed, you are going to order me and Doctor Aphra to finish the remaining ten Sith troopers within a week, my lord?”

 

“No. Do not trouble yourselves the Sith troopers that are still in development. I have a much better idea on how to bolster our forces, and demoralize the Shadow Alliance’s armies in the process.” Krayt cryptically replied, confusing both women.

 

“And… what exactly does that mean, Lord Krayt?” Aphra curiously asked, wondering where her patron was going with this train of thought.

 

“What I mean, Aphra, is that the Sith troopers need a leader to coordinate their actions, and I cannot direct their every action when I am in the thick of battle. So, if you’re right, and Edaan can indeed fall to the Dark Side, it stands to reason that, after being properly reprogrammed, he can lead my army of Sith troopers as a loyal servant of the One Sith.” Krayt explained, shocking Nala Se while greatly impressing Aphra with the Dread Lord of the Sith’s ruthlessness as she whistled.

 

“Well, and here I thought that you were just going to interrogate him for information. He killed Beetee, and once I repair Triple Zero, you can count me in in this grand project.” Aphra eagerly replied, earning a pleased nod from Darth Krayt.

 

“Good. Nala Se, you will continue with the Iteration projects with Edaan Palpatine and Jaden Korr, as they will infiltrate the Jedi’s ranks and sow chaos within their ranks once the Shadow Alliance invades Korriban.” Krayt said as he gave out orders, earning a dutiful nod from the Kaminoan scientist.

 

“It will be done at once, my master. I already have the memories of both Edaan and Jaden taken when we scanned their minds with your people’s technology, and we can use the Mindspears to trans-” Nala Se said before she was interrupted by Krayt.

 

“No. We will not use the Mindspears on Jaden and Edaan, as I gave my word to treat Jaden and the rest of Edaan’s comrades with respect and dignity, and I am nothing if not a man of my word.” Krayt said, surprising Nala Se, but she decided to respect her master’s wishes, and let the matter drop as she resumed her duties and went back to work on growing Edaan’s Iteration, while Aphra began to work on reattaching Triple Zero’s arms back on. Krayt then left the cloning chamber to return to his personal chambers and meditate in order to prepare for the coming battle.

 

_Two Hours Later, In The Mandalore System_

_Onboard the_ Megador

 

As the entire Shadow Alliance High Command absorbed the information that Boba Fett had just delivered that the long thought to be dead Jedi Master X2 had relayed to him, Jedi Grand Master Kyle Katarn gravely said, “This is a most troubling development.”

 

“Understatement of the year, Grand Master Katarn.” Ben Skywalker said in a tone that befitted someone who was in a daze as he struggled to comprehend what Boba Fett had told them: According to X2, the Sith had somehow managed to recruit the long sought-after and hated Kaminoan Scientist Nala Se, who was working on a cloning project of some kind for the One Sith. Even more unbelievable was that a former Jedi of the Old Republic was Darth Krayt, but the signal was cut off before X2 could reveal the identity of said Sith Lord, and everyone could only assume that everyone was either killed or captured by the One Sith. But what everyone could not believe was that a secret Sith shrine was underneath the Jedi Temple on Coruscant ever since the Great Hyperspace War, and it was corrupting the Jedi Order’s influence ever since. “So, what are we going to do about this ‘Sith shrine’, if it even exists?” He then asked no one in particular.

 

“We need to send a team of Jedi, led by Masters Kam and Tionne Solusar, as they know the temple better than any other Jedi here, to investigate the catacombs beneath the Jedi Temple, as well as the best archeologists that the Galactic Alliance has, at once, because even if we manage to stop the One Sith, we’ll probably be blind when the next Dark Side threat rises due to the Dark Side influence of the shrine.” Luke replied.

 

“I agree, Master Skywalker. We cannot ignore the possibility of this information being accurate. I will contact Chief of State Dorvan at once to grant you the necessary personnel and equipment for such a perilous quest.” Nek Bwua’tu said in agreement.

 

“You won’t be going without Mandalorian aid, Skywalker, as there’s no telling what kind of defenses that he Shrine might have. That’s why I’m sending my best fixer and spy to help you, as they’re both masters of finding what’s supposed to be lost.” Boba said, surprising everyone present, especially Goran and Jaing.

 

“Just like that? No strings attached?” Han said in disbelief, not expecting this from his former enemy.

 

“We’re all in this war together, Solo, and I have just as much interest in ending this five thousand-year-long war as all of you do, since I’ve got an entire culture to protect and lead.” Boba replied.

 

“Uh… _Mand’alor_ , I thought that we were going to help lead the invasion of Korriban.” Goran numbly said, as if the declaration that Boba had made had not yet sunk in to his mind.

 

“You were, but now we have a much better task that’s suited to the two of your skillsets. Do I need to say it again?” Boba questioned as he let a little steel creep into his voice.

 

“Nah. As long as I get to help end this blasted war once and for all, then I’m good with going into some ancient Sith shrine.” Jaing nonchalantly said.

 

“Good. Goran?” Boba said.

 

“Fine. At least my odds of survival will skyrocket with this mission.” Goran jokingly said as he complied with Boba’s order.

 

“Good. Now, if there’s nothing else, I have an army to mobilize for the invasion, and a team to assemble for the mission to Coruscant, so, I’ll see you all soon.” Boba said as he left the briefing room, with everyone else leaving the room in order to return to their respective duties.

 

As Ben left the room, he quietly prayed to the Force to protect Edaan and Vestara, as he had no idea what he would do if anything happened to the man that he considered a son, as well as the woman that he deeply loved, while they were captives of the Sith’s version of hospitality.

 

_One Day Later,_

_Day 87 Since the Shadow Alliance’s Formation_

_Sixteen days Until Operation: Endgame_

_0800 Hours_

_Within Darth Krayt’s Citadel_

Edaan was in a tormented sleep, as he could only pray to the Force that Krayt would keep his word on not harming any of his loved ones and friends, as well as his newfound comrades that he made during his failed prison break. He struggled to send a telepathic message to either Adari or Vestara, but the ysalamiri present prevented him from doing so, further frustrating the young Jedi Knight. He was so deeply entrenched in his thoughts that he did not hear the footsteps of Darths Malleus or Wyyrlok until they were standing right outside his cell. In an effort to get a rise out of either of them, Edaan mockingly said, “Have you come to inform me that all of my friends have escaped, and are well on your way to freedom by now?”

 

“Hilarious. Lord Krayt has summoned you, and it would be wise not to keep him waiting, Edaan Palpatine.” Wyyrlok stoically said, while Malleus stood there like a statue.

 

Realizing that he could not get even a slight amount of anger out of the two Sith Lords, and recognizing the futility of defying the two of them, Edaan acquiesced to their orders, and got up to be led out of the solitary confinement cells, not at all prepared for whatever came next.

 

**And, cut! Well, this was a short chapter. But, at least we’ve gotten to the point where things will take an even darker turn for our heroes, so that’s a sign of progress. And, hopefully, this story will be done within a month or two. So, how are you all doing on this cool night of March 3, 2017? I am great, as I recently got back from seeing _Logan_ with my dad, and I just loved the movie, as dark and gory as it was. I gave it a 9 out of 10 stars, even though my dad gave it a measly 5 out of ten stars. In addition, I also got eight good books from my local thrift store when I volunteered there today, so now I have even more enjoyable reading material for the foreseeable future. By the way, did you guys hear today that _Star Wars Rebels_ is getting a fourth season? I don’t know about you guys, but that has me excited beyond belief, as I would have been very angry if they didn’t finish the show properly, like Lucasfilm did with _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_. Well, I guess that that’s all that I wanted to talk about with you guys tonight. May the Force be with you, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	32. Chapter 30

**Greetings, all of my fans and fellow Star Wars Expanded Universe lovers. How are you doing on this cool day of March 4, 2017? I am well, although, I am a bit tired for reasons that I do not know. So, get this, I just discovered today that a new video game is coming out in August of this year, and it is the highly-anticipated sequel to _Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor_. The title of the game is _Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War_. I don’t know about you guys, but that title has me greatly excited for the game, as well as continuing the great storyline, although, I’d better wait until the complete edition comes out, as I do not want to miss out on any exciting features and any possible DLCs might possess when they come out. Well, in other gaming news, only seventeen more days left until _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ comes out, and, boy, am I excited for it. I already pre-ordered the strategy guide on barnesandnoble.com, and I can’t wait to start devouring the information that the book holds on the game. So, in Star Wars news, the next episode of _Star Wars Rebel_ s premieres tonight, and it promises to be a big one, with Mon Mothma and her Declaration of Rebellion against the First Galactic Empire coming up. May the Force be with the _Ghost_ crew in this episode, because they are going to need it if they will survive whatever comes after this episode. Oh, and, before I forget, I just finished the book on Ronald Reagan and how great he was today, and I am about to begin a book called _13 Soldiers_ , and I am very eager to read it. In addition, a few days ago, I discovered Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions’ dubbed theme song, and in a word, it is BEAST!!! You can find the remix on YouTube on various pages. I highly recommend it to any fan of Yu-Gi-Oh. Now then, let’s get on with the story, as this chapter will be a very dark one, as I’m sure that many of you expect, as I did promise you guys that this chapter would be extremely dark and gritty.**

**(March 5, 2017 Addendum) Good evening, fanfiction lovers. I am taking a little bit of time to inform all of you that my friend and fellow fanfiction writer Powerslammer has, as of 2 ½ hours ago, updated his latest, and greatest, story in his Dragon Age storyline, _Rajmael of Clan Lavellan_ , and boy, does it set the stage for even greater action, suspense, and revelations for our heroes. I beyond highly recommend that you all go read this chapter right now if you haven’t already. Well, that’s it for today. I’ll see you in the next addendum or author’s notes. **

 

_Meanwhile, in the Alchemy Chambers of Darth Krayt’s Citadel_

 

As Edaan Palpatine was marched to the cloning chamber, the remaining prisoners, which consisted of Vestara, Butch, Mirta, Akku, Dinua, Robonino, Adari, Zeb, Chopper, Jaden, X2, Sabine, Jarael, and the sixty-eight Mandalorians, Lasats, and recaptured Sith prisoners that Edaan and the others managed to recruit to their cause, were being led into a large chamber, where ten Sith Lords and Ladies were dressed in Sith Sorcerer robes, each of them chanting a different ritual in the ancient Sith language, while being led by Darths Sedriss and Snoke, who watched the new arrivals appear with a smug and inhuman smile plastered on each of their faces.

 

Upon seeing the demented looks on her former friend’s face, Sabine stopped walking and venomously said to Snoke, “Just what is it that you have planned for us, Ezra? You know that your master gave his word that we were to be treated as prisoners of war, and not as lab experiments for your own amusement.”

 

“Indeed, he did, Sabine. What you must realize, however, is that there is no way that you can be allowed to reveal Lord Krayt’s identity to the Jedi or the rest of the Shadow Alliance, which is why we’re merely taking the necessary precautions to ensure that the secret stays a secret.” Snoke calmly explained, not at all phased by his former friend’s venom in her voice.

 

“What do you mean by ‘the necessary precautions’, Snoke?” Zeb said as he struggled in vain to get the binders off of his wrists.

 

“Isn’t it obvious, Zeb? We’re going to use Sith sorcery to psychically lock away the memories of you learning of Lord Krayt’s true identity inside of your minds so that you can’t even mention it when you’re alone.” Sedriss sadistically and gleefully said, much to the horror of all of the prisoners.

 

“And just why would we ever let you invade our minds, Sidirri?” X2 repulsively said, disgusted at how far the fallen Jedi Youngling would go in achieving her master’s goals.

 

“Because if you don’t then we will kill you all, and your precious Edaan, or any of your loved ones, for that matter, will never see any of you again.” She said before she maniacally cackled, scaring most of the prisoners. Once her insane laughter died down, she said, “Now then, let’s begin, and I think that we’ll start with X2, Vestara, Sabine, Zeb, and Adari. Snoke, you can deal with Chopper since you’ve know how he works, since you used to work with him during your time with the early Rebellion.” As the astromech droid was levitated into the air by Snoke, and then thrown onto a table where the droid was then bolted down, and his memory banks were surprisingly quickly overridden, and a block was placed on his memories by the superior technology of the One Sith’s droid technicians.

 

“CHOPPER!!” Sabine and Zeb shouted as they tried to run to bust their longtime friend out of his prison, only to be blasted by a barrage of lighting that Sedriss shot from her fingertips, causing the two of them to scream in agony as they fell to the floor and began to writhe in excruciating pain, much to the horror of their friends.

 

“How noble. And how repulsive.” Sedriss disgustingly said as she sensed the empathy that everyone was emanating in response to Sedriss’s cruelty and malice.

 

“You disgust us all, Sidirri.” X2 said as his body trembled with rage as he helped Sabine get back up on her feet, with Adari and Vestara helping Zeb as well.

 

“If I ever wanted to know about your opinion, clone, then I’d ask for it.” Sedriss dismissingly said, earning even more death glares her way, which did not phase her in the slightest. She then continued, saying, “Now then, let’s get started with the procedures, because once we’re done with them, I can move on to more important matters, like thinking of more ways to kill you and your loved ones once we deal with the Shadow Alliance.”

 

_Meanwhile, In The Cloning Chambers of Darth Krayt’s Citadel_

Edaan’s mind felt like it was burning from the inside out, as he was hooked up to a heavily modified Rakatan Mindspear, which Aphr had explained to him was a device that would copy his memories and brain waves, and then transfer the copies to the now-fully grown Iteration of himself, allowing the clone to seamlessly infiltrate the Shadow Alliance’s ranks once they invaded, and sow chaos and dissent in their ranks, all the while, reporting back to his true masters on their enemies plans while Darth Krayt watched to ensure that he would not even consider trying to escape again, as well as to remind Edaan that if he tried to escape, he would renege on the baragin, and kill all of his loved ones and comrades. Despite Edaan’s immense strength of will, as well as his extremely powerful connection to the Force, he could not fight the effects of the Mindspear for long, and, knowing that he was fighting a losing battle, and the One Sith would soon have what they needed, he changed his tactics and used his knowledge of Dark Side techniques to subtly implant a hidden command within the memories that were copied into the Mindspear, and then transferred into the Iteration. After what seemed like an eternity, the excruciating pain stopped, and Edaan panted heavily for breath as he struggled to regain control over his previously-immobilized body.

 

Meanwhile, Nala Se and Aphra were examining the life-signs of the Iteration, as well as the equipment for the now-destroyed Mindspear, respectively, when Krayt asked the two demented women, “Is it done?”

 

“I believe so, Lord Krayt. The Mindspear, despite its vast age, worked like a charm, and the Iteration’s mind has accepted the memories, minus the ones that you requested be blocked from Edaan’s mind.” Aphra replied.

 

“Excellent. And the Iteration’s physical state?” Krayt said as he turned to face Nala Se.

 

“Superb, Lord Krayt. The Iteration is just as strong physically and mentally as the source material, and its connection to the Force is as powerful as its source.” Nala Se dutifully replied.

 

“Good. Now, for the final test.” Krayt said with just a hint of excitement lacing his voice as he turned to walk to the table where the Iteration was laying on.

 

***

 

Despite the young man’s inability to see, he could sense the presence of several individuals that had an immense connection to the Force, including one that seemed distinctly familiar to his own. The young man then realized that all but one of the Force-strong presences in the vicinity were completely immersed in the Dark Side of the Force, and his reflection was interrupted by a strong sense of panic as the presence of Darth Krayt, the leader of the One Sith, who then said, “Open your eyes, young one.”

 

Knowing that his life hung in the balance, the young man struggled to open his eyes, only to be blinded by a brilliant flash of white light, and quickly said, “I cannot. The light is too bright.”

 

“It will take a brief amount of time for your eyes to adjust to the light. Open them again.” Krayt commanded, and the man complied, opening them again to see a hazy image of a spiked man standing over him, with his vision slowly coming to him, only to see the spiked man covered from head to toe in Vonduun Skerr Kyrric, and the man then said, “Do you know who I am?”

 

“You’re Darth Krayt, the leader of the One Sith, and the captor of me and my loved ones.” The young man venomously said as he instantly recognized the aged human above him.

 

“Good. Do you know who you are?” Krayt eagerly asked, knowing what the answer would be, but it was necessary for the standard procedure for Iterations.

 

“I’m Edaan Palpatine, Jedi Knight, and the leader of the Shadow Alliance.” Edaan said, confused as to where the Dread Lord of the Sith was going with this line of questioning.

 

“Wrong. You are the Iteration, a clone of the real Edaan Palpatine that is imprisoned right beside you.” Krayt said in a tone that befitted a teacher scolding a student for answering a question incorrectly, before he continued to speak, saying “In a moment, I will speak a certain phrase, and you will remember who you are, and what your purpose is.” Krayt then uttered a series of words in the Sith language, and the Iteration suddenly felt a torrent of commands and orders course through his entire being.

 

However, as he remembered everything, including his programming, the command that Edaan placed within his memories took hold, and the Iteration took several deep breaths before Krayt said, “Now then, I will ask you again: Who are you?”

 

“I am the Iteration, and I have been awakened from my stasis to serve you, Lord Krayt.” The Iteration said in a monotonous voice, pleasing Krayt.

 

“Good.” He then turned to Darth Malleus, and said, “Release him from his bonds, Malleus. He is now one of us.” The heavily armored Sith Lord complied with his master’s wishes as once, and immediately deactivated the bonds that held the Iteration in place. The clone then got up from his locked-down table, took the heavily customized Jedi Combat Armor that belonged to Edaan that Aphra handed him, and put it on.

 

“How does the armor feel, Iteration?” Darth Wyyrlok asked.

 

“It feels like it was made for me, my master.” The Iteration calmly said as he stretched in it, testing the armor’s joints, all the while looking at the still-imprisoned Edaan with a calm but disgusted and irate expression. He then said, “Am I correct to assume that the man locked on the table is the original Edaan Palpatine, masters?”

 

“That is correct. You need not concern yourself with him, as he will soon be one of us, my loyal servant.” Krayt dismissively said, earning a loyal nod from the Iteration.

 

“I understand, master.” The Iteration said before he followed Nala Se out of the room, but not before he shot an aggravated look at Edaan, which Krayt barely picked up on, and made a mental note of it for later.

 

“If you think that you can turn me to the Dark Side, Hett, then you must be a reactor short of a Death Star.” Edaan said, his voice full of raw determination as he spoke.

 

“Oh, I assure you, young Palpatine, by the time that Doctor Aphra and my best scientists are done with you, you won’t even remember who you were.” Krayt said with a maniacal smile lacing his face before he used the Force to unlock the bonds that held Edaan in place, pulled Edaan up to his face, and said, “Now, to lock your memories of my true identity away so you can’t share them with anyone else, young Jedi.”

 

“You won’t lock them away without a fight, Hett.” Edaan growled out before he was thrown across the room into a stone-hard wall, severely hurting the young Jedi’s already exhausted body.

 

“Oh, trust me, Edaan, I would be disappointed if you didn’t put up a fight.” Krayt said with a vicious smile on his face.

 

_One Hour Later, In the Combat Arena of Darth Krayt’s Citadel_

 

As the Iteration fought against three tuk’atas and a terentatek, he could barely focus against the torrent of questions that ran through his mind, such as “What is my purpose?”, “Who am I supposed to be?”, and “What did that filthy Jedi do to my mind?” He was so distracted that he was nearly mauled to death by a tuk’ata before he regained his focus and cut it up into several pieces as it came around for another attack.

 

“Focus, Iteration! Do not let your guard down for even an instant, or the enemy will tear you apart like a piece of meat.” Nala Se scolded her creation, earning a death glare from the Iteration, before he launched a massive barrage of Force lightning at the three remaining adversaries, killing them within moments, pleasing the Kaminoan scientist.

 

“Good. Never hesitate to kill the enemy, as they are blinded by foolish sentiment and emotions, while the One Sith fight to restore order and discipline to a chaotic galaxy.” Nala Se instructed her student, which infuriated the Iteration, as he could barely contain his anger at being praised by a maniacal and egotistical woman who murdered innocent beings who did not meet her people’s perfectionist standards. However, he kept his anger well-hidden, and simply bowed in response to her twisted praise, before he headed to see two of the only people who, other than Edaan, could hopefully help him make sense of the chaos that was consuming his mind.

 

_Twenty Minutes Later, In the Citadel’s Prisons_

Adari Thayn Palpatine, along with Vestara Khai, were lying on the floor of their shared cell, physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausted from the ritual that the Sith sorcerers did on all of the prisoners, when the Iteration appeared in front of their cell. Thinking that the clone in front of them was Edaan, they struggled to get up before the Iteration coldly said, “Don’t bother getting up, Adari Thayn Palpatine and Vestara Khai. I’m not who you think that I am.”

 

“Edaan, how did you escape from Krayt’s prisons?” Adari said, not hearing what the Iteration had previously said due to the immense throbbing of her head. Vestara, on the other hand was wary of their visitor, as she sensed a great and unfamiliar darkness inside of the person that looked like Edaan.

 

“Who are you?” Vestara cautiously asked before she realized that he person that stood right in front of them was a clone, and said, “Am I correct to assume that Nala Se and Aphra cloned you from Edaan’s tissues?”

 

“You see it correctly, Vestara Khai.” The Iteration said, more than a little impressed with the older woman’s keen sense of deductibility, while a little amused with Adari’s shock upon realizing that the Iteration was not her beloved husband.

 

“What?!? How could the Sith have made a clone of Edaan so quickly, and even if they could, how could they have copied Edaan’s Force signature so accurately?” Adari said in disbelief, before asking, “And where’s Edaan, then, clone?”

 

“DO NOT CALL ME THAT, WOMAN!!!” The Iteration roared out at Adari in response to her calling him a clone, before he calmed himself down, and said, “There isn’t much time. I am an Iteration of Edaan Palpatine, force grown within a few days through the use of Rakatan and old Imperial biotechnology, as well as implanted with the bulk of Edaan’s memories, in order to take his place within the Shadow Alliance, along with an Iteration of Jaden Korr, so that we can cause destruction and strife within the Shadow Alliance’s ranks.”

 

This information shocked both woman beyond belief at this revelation, before Adari snapped out of her reverie and asked, “Then why are you telling us this?”

 

“Because, Adari, while Edaan’s memories were being transferred over to me, he implanted within them a hidden command to give me his sense of morality upon activation, as well as free will so that I could make my own decisions.” The Iteration said, further shocking the two women.

 

“Vestara, did you know of this cloning project?” Adari said in great annoyance as she rubbed her forehead in exasperation at the lengths the Sith would go to in order to achieve victory.

 

“I knew that Nala Se was running a cloning program of some sort, but I didn’t know how advanced the cloning program was.” Vestara honestly said, earning an annoyed sigh from the Keshiri woman.

 

“Ahem. I hate to interrupt the bonding between you two women, but we’re kind of on a timetable here.” The Iteration sarcastically said.

 

“Right.” Adari annoyingly said, before she asked the Iteration, “So, what are you doing down here, buddy?”

 

“I came here to try and make sense of the chaos that is raging through my mind, due to your husband’s efforts to free me from Sith programming. I don’t know what to do with myself. For Force’s sakes, I don’t even have a real name, just a designation given to me by maniacs and galaxy-conquering lunatics!” The Iteration angrily said, on the verge of shouting from the pain and anguish that he felt, earning the sympathy of the two women in front of him.

 

“Well, if you want some advice from a former servant of the Dark Side, look deep within yourself, and search your soul for the answers that you seek. If you do that, then the Force won’t steer you wrong.” Vestara sympathetically said.

 

“What she said. Oh, and, I have an idea that might be able to help you. Since you and Edaan share the same Force powers and DNA, maybe you can contact his true masters, and they can give you some guidance.” Adari said in concurrence of what Vestara had said, earning a thoughtful look from the Iteration.

 

“Well, I guess that it’s worth a shot.” The Iteration said in consideration for what the two women had just said, before he realized the fate that would befell Edaan, and felt obligated than him. “Oh, and, before I forget, there’s… one more thing that I should probably tell you, but it’s important that you two don’t freak out, or die from a heart attack.”

 

“What could possibly be so important that we could have a stroke, friend?” Vestara confidently said.

 

“Krayt plans to brainwash Edaan and turn him into the leader of his small army of Sith Troopers.” The Iteration quickly said, much to the horror of the two imprisoned women.

 

After a moment of silence, the two women shouted, “ **WHAT?!?!?!?** ”

 

“Why did I know that this was going to happen?” The Iteration despondently said before he said, “Look, I’m going to do what I can to help Edaan since he helped me gain free will, but if I push too hard, Krayt and his Sith will catch on and kill us all, while Edaan will be gone as you know and love him.”

 

“Let’s hope that you can help him, because now that we’re recaptured and imprisoned in even tighter security, you’re our only hope. May the Force be with you, because you’re going to need it if you’re going to survive the entire One Sith.” Adari said in gratitude.

 

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” The Iteration said in false gratitude for all of the pressure that Adari placed on him before he walked out of the cell to his assigned chambers so that he could follow through with Vestara and Adari’s advice.

 

**And that ends yet another riveting chapter of this dark story. So, what did you think of my introduction of a noble, yet conflicted, Iteration that is a clone of Edaan Palpatine? I have to be honest with you all, this is an idea that I’ve had since the beginning of the story, and I think that it is a great idea. And, now that each of the characters, besides the Iteration (who will soon have a real name of his own), has had their memories of Darth Krayt’s true identity locked away, it does not conflict with the _Legacy_ comics. Now then, on to other news. Did you guys hear that _Injustice 2_ is getting its own prequel comic book series? I don’t know about all of you, but I am buying that series up once it comes out in April, and I recommend it to all of you Injustice lovers. Oh, yes. I almost forgot. As of today, on March 6, 2017, I pre-ordered _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ at a local GameStop, and I can’t wait to get it in fifteen measly days. Well, I guess that that’s all that I want to talk about with you guys today. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe! **


	33. Chapter 32

**Hey, all of you loyal fans and friends of mine. How are you doing on this fine day of March 8, 2017? I am doing all right, because, as of a couple of hours ago, I got a great book titled Cop Under Fire, which was written by a well-known sheriff of Milwaukee who has appeared on FOX News many times in the past. So, today I watched the latest episode of _Star Wars Rebels_ , and I enjoyed it very much, other than the continued desecration of the Expanded Universe that I know and love through the retiming of the Ghormon Massacre, and completely ignoring the great game that was _Star Wars: The Force Unleashed_ , and how the Rebel Alliance was truly founded. May the Force be with the newly “canonized” Rebel Alliance, as they will need it in order to survive Grand Admiral Thrawn’s upcoming wrath. Speaking of Thrawn, there are only thirty-four days left until the hit novel, _Star Wars: Thrawn_ , which was written by the legendary Star Wars author Timothy Zahn, is released, and I can’t wait to get my hands on that book. Anyway, speaking of great releases, _Mass Effect: Nexus Uprising_ , is released in thirteen days, and I am eager for the prequel to _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ , which is also released in thirteen days, and I can’t wait to get it at my local GameStop. Oh, before I forget, I am sorry for not writing on March 7, 2017, but I had school and work to worry about, so my schedule was pretty full. But, I have the time now, so here I am. Anyway, let’s get started on another dark and gritty chapter of my fifth story in my Jedi Odyssey saga. Oh, and, SPOILER ALERT, this chapter will have some excellent philosophical questions that everyone should consider, which is fitting since I am taking an ethics class at my community college. Well, as this story begins to reach its end, it sets the stage for the longest and greatest story that I have ever, and probably will, write. May the Force be with the heroes, including the newly formed Iteration, as they will need it to survive the Shadow War (story pun intended) that will reach its dramatic conclusion in the next story. **

**(March 9, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everyone. Sorry for another addendum, but I have very good news to share with all of you. As of now, I am officially on my Spring Break, which means that I now have twelve days off from school, except for my online class, but, still, I am pretty stoked, as this gives me more time to work on my story.**

**(March 10, 2017 Addendum.) Greetings, all of you Star Wars and _Injustice_ lovers! How are you doing on this cool evening? I am well, since I bought eleven books at my local thrift store, which means that my mom is cutting me off from buying any more books, and with good reason. Oh, and I discovered that Marvel is producing another Darth Vader comic book series, starting in June, only this one starts off right after Episode III, which I am not too fond of, as we already have, or had, I should reluctantly say, great stories of Darth Vader right after Episode III. But, I will adopt a wait and see approach, as I still crave more Star Wars material. One more thing, did you guys see the latest Injustice 2 story trailer, as I can’t wait to get that game and continue the glorious storyline that began about four years ago. However, they better have a good reason for making Hal Jordan a Green Lantern again after he turned on them and killed Guy Gardner back in _Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Two_ , or I will be sorely disappointed. Anyway, back to the story.**

 

As the Iteration made his way to his assigned chambers, he contemplated all of the advice that Adari Thayn Palpatine and Vestara Khai had given him, and decided to take all of it to heart, as he knew that this might be the only time that he would speak to them, or any of Edaan’s loved ones, before the Shadow Alliance invaded Korriban to end this five-thousand year-long war that had consumed to much of the galaxy’s history. He then examined the lightsaber that belonged to Edaan, and admired its simple yet elegant intricacy. He especially loved the violet color of the blade, as it reminded him of three of the two Jedi Orders’ greatest champions: the former Rakatan Force Hound known simply as “Tau”; the legendary Korunnai Jedi Council Member Mace Windu, who was best known for his mastery of the shatterpoint technique, the slaying of legendary bounty hunter and Mandalorian Jango Fett, and being one of the very few Jedi could best Darth Sidious in lightsaber combat; and Jaina Solo Fel, the resurrected Jedi Order’s first Sword of the Jedi, veteran of many terrible wars, and current co-ruler of the Fel Empire along with her husband, Jagged Fel.

 

After about a minute of extra walking, The Iteration entered his chambers, which were very modest, with a simple bed, a stone floor, and a very small refresher. He then sensed that no one was within his general vicinity, and got into a meditative position, closed his eyes, and opened himself to the flow of the Force in the pivot between the Light and Dark Sides of the Force. Once he opened his eyes to find himself in a foggy area, with the spectral forms of Tau, Revan, Meetra Surik, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Jacen Solo slowly appearing in front of him.

 

“It is an honor to meet the five of you. I am the Iteration, a rapidly grown clone of Edaan Palpatine that the Sith created to infiltrate the Shadow Alliance, but Edaan gave me free will and his sense of morality, so I’ve decided to help him and his cause. In addition, he, along with all of his loved ones and comrades, have been captured by the One Sith. I have all of Edaan’s memories, and I recall that Edaan had very helpful conversations with all of you when he needed guidance, and I am hoping that you can provide me with some much-needed counsel in this dark hour.” The Iteration graciously said, earning warm smiles from the five deceased Jedi that were in front of him.

 

“ _I must admit that I did not foresee that Darth Krayt would be able to clone Edaan down right to the last detail, but then again, the Force does work in mysterious ways._ ” Qui-Gon said.

 

“ _That it does, Qui-Gon._ ” Revan said in agreement before his expression turned serious, and he said, “ _But, I gather that this isn’t a social call. What is it that you desire from us, Iteration?_ ”

 

“I need to know the best way to help Edaan, as he is about to be turned into a Sith Trooper, a heavily advanced cyborg that is loyal to Krayt alone, and I don’t know how to best help him escape the process, as escaping Korriban, let alone Darth Krayt’s citadel is impossible.” The Iteration gravely said, getting right to the point of the matter, as he saw no need to dance around the issue.

 

Upon hearing those words, all five of the Force ghosts’ eyes shot wide open, and their jaws were slack for about a minute before Meetra despondently said, “ _I cannot believe that the Sith would go to such lengths to build their armies. There is nothing that any of us can do to prevent the transformation._ ” As the Iteration then looked down in shame for being unable to keep his promise to Adari and Vestara, Meetra continued, her voice full of determination as she said, “ _But, there is one way for you to help Edaan retain his identity in the Force. It will be a difficult road, and it could kill you, but if you are willing, I can teach you how to transfer some of your strength to Edaan from your own chambers._ ”

 

“ _Meetra, are you talking about the same method that you used in order to help me endure Vitiate and the Dread Masters’ interrogations for almost three hundred years after you died?_ ” Revan asked as he looked at his longtime friend in concern. He then continued, saying in dead seriousness, “ _There’s no telling what could happen to Edaan if it is used on him, as you saw what it did to me after I was freed._ ”

 

“ _You were a different case, Revan, and it was necessary to give you strength to endure the long centuries of torture at the Sith’s hands, just as it is necessary to give the Iteration the means to help his brother endure torture just as bad, if not worse, as the One Sith will assault his mind, body, and spirit in an attempt to break him._ ” Meetra gently countered her old friend’s concerns.

 

“ _She’s right, Revan. If our friend here can’t help Edaan, then everything that he built and fought for will be in danger of being undone. This might be the only way to save the galaxy from eternal darkness._ ” Tau said as he looked down in thought as he recalled the part he played in bringing darkness across the galaxy during his time as a Rakatan Force Hound before being shown the Light Side of the Force by his eventual wife, Shae Koda.

 

“ _I agree. I caused too much pain to the galaxy during my brief reign as Darth Caedus, and I refuse to be a legacy or example for even more pain to scorch the galaxy._ ” Jacen remorsefully said as he shamefully remembered all of the atrocities that he caused and aided during the Second Galactic Civil War.

 

“Well, it looks like you’ve been outvoted, Revan.” The Iteration humorously said before he turned to Meetra and said, “So, we’d better get started, Meetra, as I imagine that Krayt will want to corrupt Edaan sooner rather than later, what, with the Shadow Alliance coming to Korriban in just sixteen days.”

 

“I agree.” Meetra said as the four other Jedi disappeared from the Iteration’s view, and she continued, saying, “ _The technique that I am about to show you is relatively simple to use, but difficult to use subtly. It allows you to transfer energy into another person in order to strengthen their mental resistance. You must put all of your focus into shielding your efforts from the agents of the Dark Side, or they will detect it. Now, let us begin._ ”

 

_Two Days Later_

_Day 89 Since the Shadow Alliance’s Formation_

_Fourteen days Until Operation: Endgame_

_1400 Hours_

_In the Alchemy Chamber of Darth Krayt’s Citadel_

Edaan Palpatine’s mind felt like it was being ripped apart by a pack of tuk’ata hounds, as, after he was subjected to a mental block that prevented him from speaking of Darth Krayt’s true identity to anyone, even himself, he was struggling to hold on to his very essence against the technological and Sith assault on his mind’s consciousness as his body was slowly being grafted with extensive cybernetics.. He felt his soul slipping in and out of existence when he felt a subtle and very gentle presence enter his mind, and he could sense that whoever it was, that being was affiliated with the Light Side of the Force. When the presence offered him strength to feed off of, he took it without hesitation, as he knew that without some form of assistance, not even the core of his being could endure the pain and agony that he was enduring. The strength that he unknown individual gave him was forceful, and yet gentle at the same time, and, despite the great anger that Edaan sensed from the helpful person’s core, a deeper light existed within the person’s center that gave Edaan strength, and allowed him to quietly preserve his consciousness and soul fron the assault that the Dark Side technology was doing on him.

 

After what seemed like an eternity, the ceaseless pain subsided, and only a dull ache was remaining. His opened eyes scanned the room in a panic, and he could only sense Chelli Lona Aphra, her sole remaining droid companion, Triple Zero, Kaminoan Scienist Nala Se, the Sith Lords Darths Snoke, Wyyrlok, and Krayt, and what Edaan assumed to be three Sith sorcerers, within the room that he was in. From what Edaan could gather, with the various cybernetic equipment that was strewn about, he was in a laboratory that was in the process of turning him into a Sith trooper, but something must have gone wrong, as he still retained control of his mind, and was not bound to complete obedience to Darth Krayt like the other Sith troopers were.

 

 _Well, there’ll be time to wonder how I’m still sane later. Right now, I need to keep my cover alive in order to help Adari and the others survive whatever comes next. I just hope that Adari can forgive me for leading her into the mess, as well as look past my likely disfigured appearance._ Edaan mentally said to himself as Krayt came up to the lying form of Edaan and, after examining his body, said, “The cybernetic integration seems to be on schedule, and I cannot sense the presence of Edaan Palpatine inside of him. Aphra, Nala Se, Snoke, we may begin Phase Two of the transformation tomorrow morning at 0900 Hours. Give our loyal trooper twelve hours in a bacta chamber in order to recover from the trauma that he has had to endure for nearly two day straight.”

 

“Yes, my lord.” Snoke dutifully said while Aphra and Nala Se simply nodded their heads in obedience to their master’s will as Triple Zero programmed the repulsorlift table that he was on to hover a handful of feet in the air, and follow the assassin droid, the two rogue scientists, and Sith Lord to the medical chamber, where the cybernetic Edaan was then placed in a bacta tank in order to recuperate from the exhaustive cybernetic implants. The coolness of the bacta was like being dipped in a pool of ice-cold water, and it began to take effect almost immediately. Trusting in the Will of the Force for guidance, Edaan let himself fall into a deep sleep that would last for hours.

 

_Three Hours Later, In the Iteration’s Chambers_

“Well, it looks like your technique was a success, Master Surik. Edaan has retained his consciousness, and the One Sith are none the wiser.” The Iteration said in praise of his dead teacher’s teachings.

 

“ _Good. Now, you need to make contact with Edaan so that once the Shadow Alliance’s invasion commences, he will trust you and not try to kill you when he makes his move._ ” Meetra said in complete seriousness, before she continued, saying, “ _Oh, and, there is one more thing that you need to do before you proceed any further._ ”

 

“What is it, Meetra?” The Iteration said, listening intently for what his next move would be.

 

Meetra then adopted a gentle smile on her face as she said, “ _You need to come up with a real name for yourself, as you need to develop your own sense of identity if you’re going to be able to reach your full potential. Besides, calling yourself ‘the Iteration’ will get old really quickly, and I definitely know that you want people to call you ‘clone.’_ ”

 

“Oh, tell me about it.” The Iteration said before he bashfully asked, “So, do you have any ideas as to what my name should be, as I don’t think that I’m very good at coming up with names for people, myself included?”

 

“ _My friend, the answer is evident if you look within, because you possess the one thing that sets you apart from the Sith’s other creations: a soul._ ” Meetra said as she faded away, leaving a confused Iteration alone with his thoughts as he opened his eyes, and contemplated what Meetra meant by what she said. Drawing a blank on what she meant, he decided to grab a bite to eat in order to keep up his strength, and then he would communicate telepathically with Edaan in order to assure him that they were both adherents of the Light Side of the Force, as well as come up with a plan on how to undermine the One Sith’s machinations.

 

_One Hour Later_

Edaan Palpatine was meditating within the Force when he felt a presence that, at first, he could not believe, as it was practically identical to his own, just a slight bit darker than his Force signature. He soon realized that the Iteration must be trying to contact him, and, once he let him in, an exact image of Edaan appeared in front of him. The spectral image of the Iteration then cautiously said, “ _Are you Edaan Palpatine, or are you one of Krayt’s fanatical Sith troopers?_ ”

 

“First, answer a question for me. Are you here on Darth Krayt’s orders, or are you here of your own volition?” Edaan skeptically asked, wanting to gauge the clone’s reactions in order to make sure that his hidden command worked.

 

Upon hearing this, the Iteration simply smirked and said, “ _Oh yeah. You’re Edaan alright. I guess that Meetra’s technique saved your soul after all.”_

“You spoke with Meetra Surik? How in the galaxy did oyu get past the Dark Side miasma that permeates the entire planet?” Edaan disbelievingly said, dumbfounded by this revelation.

 

“ _I was born through a combination of Dark Side sorcery and Imperial cloning technology, Edaan, so I have a few tricks up my sleeves that even you don’t have._ ” The Iteration smugly said before his expression turned serious and asked the cyborg Jedi Knight, “ _Why did you grant me free will, Edaan? Did you think that I would be so grateful that you gave me my own consciousness that I would help you without question?_ ”

 

After looking down, and giving the question the deep consideration that it was due, Edaan honestly said “I don’t know. I suppose that I trusted in the Will of the Force to guide me, and I knew that in order to take down the Sith, a lot of gambles and leaps of faith would have to be taken, even though I’m not a big fan of cloning people, as it is a highly controversial topic, and not just because of the Clone War and Thrawn’s campaigns against the New Republic. I honestly never gave the issue too much thought since I had other plans in mind, but, if I’m being honest with myself, I had no idea that you would save me from the Sith’s reprogramming. And for that, you have my eternal gratitude.”

 

“ _Yeah, well, you have Adari and Vestara for that bit of help, as they would have butchered me alive if I let the Sith reprogram you._ ” The Iteration honestly said before he remorsefully continued, saying, “ _I’m sorry that I couldn’t stop the Sith from turning you into a cyborg, Edaan._ ”

 

“Ah, don’t worry about it, buddy. You did what you could, and that’s all that anyone could ask for.” Edaan graciously said, surprising the Itertation.

 

After the initial shock wore off, the shocked Iteration said, “ _I knew that you had a great capacity for forgiveness, but this surprises me. Anyway, we need to plan our next move, as the Shadow Alliance is invading Korriban in just fourteen days, and I need a plan in order to keep both of our covers alive until they get here._ ”

 

“Well, you need to make contact with my friends, as well as the other prisoners that are here, and tell them of what’s become of the two of us. That way, there won’t be as much chaos when we bust out of this hellhole. Other than that, learn all that you can about the One Sith and their plans without attracting too much attention to yourself.” Edaan suggested, which made the Iteration nod his head in agreement.

_The Iteration then, with just a hint of embarrassment in his voice, said, “There was one more thing that I need to get done before this conversation is over. Meetra said that I needed to come up with a name for myself in order to develop my own sense of identity. Can you help me decide what my name will be, as I’m stumped?_ ”

 

“Well, did Meetra give you any advice on how to decide your name?” Edaan asked.

 

“ _Yeah, but it was all gibberish to me. She said that the answer is evident if you look within, because you possess the one thing that sets you apart from the Sith’s other creations: a soul. Do you have any idea what it means?_ ” The Iteration said.

 

“Well…” Edaan rubbed his chin in thought before a crazy idea hit him, and, knowing that any idea is better than no idea, said, “Wait! I might have an idea. Did you meet one of my other masters, the former Force Hound by the name of Tau?”

 

“ _Yes, but what does that have to do with… wait. In Tau’s native language, the word ‘tau’ means ‘soul’, and Meetra said that that’s the one thing that I possess that the Sith’s other creations do not have._ ” The Iteration said in realization before he considered the name, and then said, “ _Tau Palpatine. It’s actually got a nice ring to it._ ”

 

“Well, then, Tau, it was honor to meet my new brother. May the Force be with you, for I know that you will need it for the next fourteen days.” Edaan said as his spectral image began to disappear, leaving the newly named Tau alone with his thoughts as he pulled himself out of the mental connection that he made with his brother.

 

Once Tau got up from the meditative position that he was in, he grabbed Edaan’s lightsaber through the use of the Force, attached it to his belt, resolved to make a new lightsaber of his own before the Shadow Alliance arrived, and, with a newly found sense of purpose and determination due to him deciding his name, as well as gaining a sense of belonging with his genetic brother, said, “Well, it’s time to go to work.”

 

**And, that’s a wrap on yet another important chapter in my saga. Now you all know what Edaan’s “brother” named himself, which was a big part of my plans from when I first started on my saga. I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter, as things will not be getting better for the heroes until the Shadow Alliance gets to Korriban. But, on the bright side, this story is likely almost done, as we’re almost at the Invasion of Korriban, and, from there, things will get a lot more exciting. That’s a promise. Oh, and, on a side note, as of now, I have surpassed 140,000 words on this story since I’ve started it. I don’t know about all of you, but I am very proud of myself, as I did not foresee that this story would last so long. Now then, onto more pleasurable matters. So, as of today, on March 11, 2017, I got _Naruto: Itachi’s Story: Volume 1: Daylight_ , and _Naruto: Sasuke’s Story: Sunrise_ in the mail. I can’t wait to eventually read them once I’m done with all of my history books. Of course, that won’t be for at least a few months, as I have dozens of history and political books to read that I bought over the last couple of months. Oh, and I watched the latest Star Wars Rebels episode, and it was very amusing, to say the least. Anyway, that’s it for today. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	34. Chapter 33

**Good afternoon, Star Wars Expanded Universe lovers. How are you doing on this cold day of March 12, 2017? Other than the cold weather, I am well, as I’ve finished _13 Soldiers_ today, and I am currently reading the novelization of _Rogue One: A Star Wars Story_ , and so far, it is pretty good, as it doesn’t conflict too much with the Expanded Universe too much, unlinke a good portion of the current Star Wars material that is being produced. Oh, and in just two days, the final book in _The Witcher_ series, _The Witcher: The Lady of the Lake_ , is coming out, and I just know that I will enjoy it when I get it from online. Even more exciting, in a measely nine days, _Mass Effect Andomeda_ is coming out, and I’m going to get it for the Xbox One the day that it comes out. By the way, I just realized that, as of this moment, I have written over 250 pages in this story alone, which is amazing, as I usually only write one to two pages a day. Oh, and I’m sorry if this chapter takes longer than the others, but, if I’m being honest with myself, then I have no idea what I’m going to write for this chapter, as I’m pretty much drawing a blank for my creative muse. Oh well. I’ll just let the Force, as well as my imagination, guide my hand. Well, I’d better get busy with writing this mext chapter, as I don’t know how many are left in this story, but I know that there’s probably just a few left. **

 

_Four Days Later_

_Day 91 Since the Shadow Alliance’s Formation_

_Ten Days Until Operation: Endgame_

_0900 Hours_

_In the Prisons of Darth Krayt’s Citadel_

“Are you fracking serious?!?” Akku Sei II bellowed out in disbelief as he absorbed the information that Tau had given him, Zeb, Sabine, Mirta, Dinua, Robonino, and several of their Mandalorian and Lasat comrades: According to this man’s information, if it turned out to be accurate, Edaan had been turned into the leader of the small but very lethal Sith Trooper army that Darth Krayt had assembled, but Tau, who was a rapidly grown clone of Edaan, who, thanks to Edaan’s intervention, had his own personality and sense of morality, had managed to preserve Edaan’s soul and consciousness through a Jedi technique that one of Edaan’s dead masters had provided him with.

 

“Completely, Akku. I have to admit, though, that I did not expect you to get so emotional over this information, as Edaan always thought of you as the most collected member of his crew. Although, I suppose that the severity of the information can make even the most stoic person show intense displays of emotion.” Tau calmly said as he pondered Akku’s outburst.

 

“Just when I thought that this mad quest couldn’t get even more confusing.” Zeb said as he shook his head in amusement of Akku’s reaction, before he turned serious and said, “So, just to recap, Edaan managed to give you your own free will, which turned you over to our side, and you, in turn, helped him retain what little sanity he has, and you’re now helping us take down your creators.” After Tau nodded his head in affirmation, Zeb then chuckled and said, “And I thought that my days of adventuring were insane. So, what’s our next move going to be, Tau?”

 

“We need to prepare for a jailbreak once the Shadow Alliance gets here, as their arrival will give us the perfect distraction in order to bust everyone out of here. Chopper here,” He then turned to look at the liberated astromech droid, who was, unitl Tau came across him three days ago, being examined by the Sith’s technicians for any useful information that the droid might posses. It was only due to Tau’s persuasive influence, as well as a couple of mind tricks on the weak-minded technicians, that Tau was able to free the droid from his captivity, and earned his loyalty by promising him a lot of bloodshed, chaos, and dead Sith once his plan commenced, and continued, saying, “managed to acquire the access codes for the maintenance droids here, and he is going to help me turn as many droids to our side as we can before the invasion commences so that they can cause as much discord as possible in order to make our escape more possible.”

 

“And just how are we supposed to fight our way through an army of Sith, Tau?” Mirta disbelievingly said, skeptical over this whole matter.

 

“I’m still working on that, Mirta.” Tau admitted, earning a groan from the granddaughter of Boba Fett, and a chuckle from Sabine.

 

“You really are just like Edaan, as that’s something that he would have said, if he were here.” Sabine amusingly said before her expression turned serious, and she asked, “Do you know how he’s doing, because I’m sure that Adari’s worried sick about him?”

 

“So far, as far as I can tell, he hasn’t blown his cover, and the Sith are none the wiser. I’m keeping a close eye on him through our connection through the Force, and I’m observing his ‘training’ whenever I get the chance, and he’s playing the part of a brainwashed Sith servant very convincingly, if I do say so myself.” Tau explained with a hint of pride for his genetic twin in his voice as he spoke.

 

“Well, let’s just hope that we can keep it up, Tau, or we’re all dead meat.” Dinua worriedly said, as she was the most nervous among the group of prisoners that was here.

 

“Indeed.” Tau said in agreement, as he completely understood the Mandalorian’s reservations regarding the amount of trust that she had to place in him and Edaan.

 

As Tau and Chopper turned to leave the cell block, Aku grabbed his arm and said, “You need to tell the Shadow Alliance about Edaan’s condition, because once we’ve dealt with the One Sith here, they need to prepare to try and undo the cyberntetic implantations that the Sith have done to him, and so they don’t try to kill him once they see him in a Sith trooper’s armor.”

 

“I’ll do what I can, but I can’t make any promises, because I need to keep a low profile, and sending any transmissions could alert the One Sith to a mole in their ranks, which could lead to a repeat of what happened to ISB Agent Kallus after Grand Admiral Teshik revealed him to be a traitor to Sidious’s Galactic Empire, and I know that no one here, especially me, wants that to happen.” Tau said in a noncommitting tone.

 

“Just do your best, Tau.” Akku angrily said as let go of Tau’s arm and adopted a mediative positon in order to calm his deeply disturbed mind.

 

As Tau and Chopper left the cell block, Sabine said, “Well, at least we’ve still got Tau and Chopper looking after us, and Edaan’s still Edaan. That’s something.”

 

“Yeah, if he’s telling the truth, Sabine. Only a fool places all of his cards into one play, and I’m no fool.” Zeb said, as he had severe doubts about the story that Tau told him and the others.

 

“Well, we don’t have much of a choice, Zeb. Either we play this guy’s game, and hope for the best, or we are left to fend for ourselves, and I wouldn’t bet on us getting out of here on our own. At least for now, we do things Tau’s way.” Robonino reluctantly countered, as even he suspected Tau of being a triple agent for the One Sith, and feared the worst for Edaan.

 

“Well, I guess that we need to trust in the Force for our salvation, as I can’t see any other way of getting out of here.” Sabine said in a tone that would brook no argument, and everyone, including Zeb and Robonino, picked up on the message.

 

With that said, everyone went back to their respective thing, whether it be meditating, planning new strategies, fantasizing new ways to kill their Sith captors and their collaborators, or worrying for the safety of Edaan, Adari, Vestara, Jaden, Jarael, and the remaining captives of the Sith’s nonexistent hospitality.

 

_Two Days Later_

_Day 93 Since the Shadow Alliance’s Formation_

_Eight Days Until Operation: Endgame_

_1100 Hours_

_In the Citadel’s Medbay_

Jarael Chantique was not happy right now, as she had been pressed into service of healing the injured members of the One Sith, especially those accursed cyborg Sith troopers that Krayt had corrupted and defiled since shortly after their birth. She nearly vomited at the sight of her longtime friend Edaan, who had, against all odds, been turned into a Sith trooper, and was recovering after an intensive training session. She was pushed over the edge when she saw the extremely quickly-grown clone of Edaan observe the whole recuperation process.

 

When everyone but what used to be her friend and his clone left the room, she grabbed a vibro-knife and tried to jam it into Edaan’s neck in order to try and set her friend free from the suffering that he must have been in. Unfortunately for her, the Iteration and the corrupted Edaan each grabbed one of Jarael’s arms and twisted them behind her back, and the Sith trooper that used to be Edaan said in a concerned and slightly digitized voice, “I wouldn’t want to do that if I were you, Jarael, as I know how much you value your own health.”

 

Upon hearing the tone and inflection in the Sith trooper’s voice, Jarael let the vibro-knife fall to the ground, and she hesitatingly said, “Edaan? Is that you?”

 

“Well, it looks like your doctor is as smart as I remember, Edaan.” The Iteration nonchalantly said, which further baffled the Iskalloni medic, as she had no clue as to what was going on.

 

“Tau, give her a break. She’s likely been working around the clock for these maniacs, and she couldn’t have known about our plan.” Edaan said in a condescending manner to his clone.

 

“Okay, hold up! What plan? And how in the galaxy did you retain your consciousness after such agonizing experiments?” Jarael said, confused beyond belief at what she she was hearing.

 

“Well, thanks to my new brother, Tau, here, I was able to keep my mind and soul intact, even as my body was being defiled by Sith cybernetics. As for the plan, Tau, Chopper, and I are learning all that we can about the One Sith’s plans in order to sabotage them in order to help the Shadow Alliance when they come here in eight measly days.” Edaan nonchalantly explained as he let go of Jarael’s arm, with Tau following suite mere moments later.

 

“Ow. I see that the Sith paid no expense in giving you enhanced physical strength.” Jarael said as she used each arm to gently rub the opposite arm’s bruised shoulders.

 

“Yeah, the Sith really go all-out when hey make their killers.” Edaan sheepishly said as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment in what he was turned into by the One Sith’s best scientists and technicians.

 

“Have either of you alerted the Shadow Alliance to this unseen development, or have you been so busy admiring your newfound strength that you’ve forgotten all about your friends?” Jarael sardonically asked, annoyed that neither Jedi seemed to be taking this matter seriously.

 

“We haven’t had a chance yet, as the Sith have the communications room locked down tighter than the infamous prison that was known as Cog Hive Seven used to be before Darth Maul destroyed it shortly before the Battle of Naboo.” Tau admitted, but, seeing the exasperated look on Jarael’s face, quickly said, “But I may have a way to reach Ben Skywalker without the use of any technology, and through the use of the Force instead.”

 

“How?” Jarael disbelievingly said, as she was not very knowledgeable about the abilities that Force-sensitives possessed.

 

“Despite the years that Ben and Edaan have been apart, they still possess a powerful bond, or mental connection, if you will, through the Force. And, since I possess all of Edaan’s memories, I know how to reach Ben through the Force, even through the shroud of the Dark Side that permeates the entire planet.” Tau explained, earning a contemplative look from Jarael as she considered the makeshift plan that the clone had proposed.

 

“Okay. Let’s say that, by some miracle, you manage to reach Ben and last long enough to tell him of the information that both of you have learned. How in the galaxy are you going to convince him of your sincerity?” Jarael asked, still very skeptical about this ludicrous scheme.

 

“Well, I guess that I’ll just have to wing it.” Tau nervously admitted, earning a dirty look from Jarael.

 

“You’re definitely Edaan’s brother, alright.” Jareal emotionlessly said, earning a chuckle from Edaan, before she sighed and said, “Does everyone know about this turn of events, Edaan, because I think that they need to know about you being turned into a Sith trooper so that they don’t have a heart attack?”

 

“Everyone except for Jaden and X2, who we’ve been unable to reach since Krayt’s got them lcoked up tighter than the Zakuul treasury ship, the _Gilded Star_ , was.” Edaan said, earning an approving nod form Jarael before he continued, saying, “We’re planning to reach them once the break-out begins, and, if the Sith have messed with their heads at all, deprogram him. Other than that, we’re all but ready to finally end this karking shadow war.”

 

“Good. Now that that’s out of the way, can I get back to finishing my work on you, old friend, so that you’re at peak efficiency when we make our move?” Jarael graciously said, earning a nod form her longtime friend, with Tau watching in order to maintain their cover.

 

_Meanwhile, in Darth Krayt’s Personal Chambers_

“Wyyrlok, Sorzus, I have a question for you, and I require a truthful answer for it. That means that you must give me your answer without any groveling, and give it to me straight. Do you understand, my loyal servant?” Darth Krayt said to his right hand man as he paced around his hard bed.

 

“Completely, my master. This is why you made me the second-in-command of the One Sith. To carry out your orders as you see fit, is it not?” Wyyrlok dutifully said as he stood at attention, with his daughter, the eighteen year-old Chagrian female known simply as Sorzus, in honor of the Jedi Exile that was reviled for her achievements in Sith alchemy, who was being groomed to be Darth Wyyrlok’s eventual successor as Krayt’s right hand Sith, standing right next to him.

 

“Indeed, it is, Wyyrlok, which is why I ask you this: Do you suspect either the Iteration or Edaan Palpatine of being able to deceive us, and are serving the Jedi and their allies?” Krayt bluntly said, which surprised both Chagrian Sith Lords, as they could not believe what their master was considering.

 

“My master, you are wise in all things, but the possibility of betrayal is next to impossible, as Doctors Aphra and Nala Se reprogrammed Edaan into a loyal servant of the One Sith, and the Iteration is hardwired for complete obedience to us.” Sorzus said as she carefully considered her words, not wanting to anger either her father or the founder of the One Sith.

 

“The complete obedience is exacly what makes me concerned, young Sorzus.” Krayt said in a tone that befitted a parent gently scolding their child. He then continued, saying, “The Iteration spends a lot of time in his room meditating, and Edaan has been fighting at peak efficiency. For all we know, however, the Iteration could be trying to reach the Jedi through the Force, as I can sense a very subtle distortion in the Force within the citadel, and Edaan could have resisted his reprogramming and is merely playing the part of a Sith trooper, as I wanted him to have a degree of independence when he led my Sith troopers against the Shadow Alliance.”

 

“I suppose that it is possible, my master.” Wyyrlok said as he took in Darth Krayt’s words, and then said, “I don’t think that the problem, if it exists, is due to Aphra and Nala Se, as they are professionals who bear no love for the Jedi.”

 

“Yes, I’m inclined to agree with you there, Wyyrlok. The problem might be something that none of us could have foreseen, but, if it exists, then it could compromise our survival against the invasion. We need to ensure Edaan and the Iteration’s loyalty to the One Sith, and I think that I have a way to prove it, while giving our remaining allies that are in the Horuset System some much-needed entertainment.”  

 

“What exactly are you suggesting, master?” Wyyrlok said, now curious as to where his master was going with this train of thought.

 

“I am proposing a duel between the Iteration and Edaan. A duel that will be to the death, if I so desire. And, if either of the warriors hesitates, then we will have our traitor, and they will be executed, eliminating too birds with one blaster bolt.” Krayt replied, earning an intruiged nod from Wyyrlok and Sorzus.

 

“Yes, I can see the appeal of the idea. This way, we can shore up our ranks, while boosting morale within the rank-and-file troopers that serve us. When do you want this match to commence, as there are only eight days left until the Shadow Alliance begins their attack?” Wyyrlok said as he smiled maliciously at the idea.

 

“In twenty-four hours, which should give our indentured doctor enough time to finish repairing any of Edaan’s damaged cybernetics. Now, go, as I must begin the preaprations for the match.” Krayt said as he too smiles malevolently at his fellow Sith before they left his personal chambers, leaving Krayt alone to meditate for another hour before he began to prepare for the match between Edaan and the Iteration.

 

**And, that’s a wrap on yet another filler chapter of my story. I’m sure that you’re all chomping at the nails for some action, so you’ll get it in the next chapter. And the Shadow Alliance is only eight days away from Operation: Endgame, which is excellent news. Speaking of excellent news, in just six days, the highly anticipated game _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ gets released, and I can’t wait to start playing it. So, how are you all doing on this cold day of March 15, 2017, as my hands are starting to get a bit cold? Other than that, I am ecstatic, as I recently read the final chapter of _Injustice: Ground Zero_ online, and, other than a controversial relationship that I will not name, the entire story was highly enjoyable. I would recommend the series to any DC Comics or superhero fans out there. In other news, I recently saw the teaser for the season three finale of _Star Wars Rebels_ , and I can’t wait to see how Sabine, Ezra, and hopefully Clan Wren, save Pheonix Squadron and the nascent Rebel Alliance from certain defeat. By the way, are all of you aware that in a month and nine days from now, it will be the third anniversary of the Expanded Universe’s cancellation? I don’t know about all of you, but that knowledge brings me sadness over it’s all but complete destruction, as well as disappointment at the people in charge of Lucasfilm for not keeping true to the original storyline that they created over a thirty-seven year span, but not anger (as for some reason, all of the anger that I’ve carried for so long about everything is just drained out of me). Oh, there’s one more thing that I should mention. Once I get Mass Effect: Andromeda, my updates will be a lot slower, as I will probably play the game a lot as a male Ryder. Well, I guess that that’s that. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	35. Chapter 34

**Hello, Star Wars Expanded Universe enthusiasts. How are you doing on this cool day of March 16, 2017? I am doing very well, as I got _The Witcher: The Lady of the Lake_ through the mail today, and I went to a nearby Barnes  & Noble and bought two good books: a book written by Tara Kyle titled ** **_American Wife: A Memoir of Love, Service, Faith, and Renewal_ ** **, and a book about Paris during its occupation by Nazi Germany from 1940-1944. I just know that all three of these books will be great reads, as I’ve enjoyed all of the _The Witcher_ books that have come out so far, and military and American history books that I purchase. So, only five days left until I go back to school after my spring break, as well as the release of _Mass Effect: Andromeda_. I am just so giddy for the game’s release, as I have bought every game, novel, and comic of the Mass Effect series that has come out so far, and I’ve enjoyed them all very much, even the flawed book that was _Mass Effect: Deception_. I am also excited to read _Mass Effect: Andromeda: Nexus Uprising_ , which is coming out the same day as the game, and promises to be a very informative and enjoyable read. Well, let’s get on with the story, as it is full of revelations for the Shadow Alliance, and we’ll see if Krayt figures out if Edaan and Tau are loyal to the Light Side of the Force. Sorry for putting Krayt on the scent of the brothers’ treachery, but I didn’t want Krayt to seem like an idiot by letting their actions and plans go by completely unnoticed. But, don’t worry, I won’t make him as smart as ** **Mitth'raw'nuruodo** **(The Legends version, not the canon version, as I prefer the original Thrawn over the new Thrawn for personal reasons), as despite his high intelligence, he is still a man, and even the best (or worst) of men can make mistakes. Oh well, I’ve been rambling on for long enough. Let’s get on with the story!**

**(March 18, 2017 Addendum) Hello, everyone. Sorry to add an addendum to this chapter, but I have some big news that just can’t wait. I just watched _Star Wars Rebels: “Twin Suns”_ , and it was a GREAT episode! Without giving too much away from anyone who hasn’t seen it yet, let me just say that I am SO glad that the Maul storyline is over, and that Ezra has, hopefully, fully turned away from the Dark Side of the Force. Now that the stage is set for the Season Three finale, “Zero Hour”, and I think that it will be the best season finale yet in the show, as Grand Admiral Thrawn’s plans come to fruition, and the newly founded Rebel Alliance finds itself in the fight of their lives. Now then, only THREE days left until _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ comes out, and I am so giddy for its release, as I’ve seen plenty of YouTube videos about the beginning of the game, and they are AMAZING!! Oh, and, tomorrow, the final season of _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_ begins, and it promises to be an amazing series finale (Well, at least, I hope so.) that I will, hopefully, always remember. Oh, and, one more thing. A few days ago, I finished the novelization of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and it was very good. I am currently on a book about the Templars (the historical ones, not the Dragon Age ones, in case you were wondering), and it is a very interesting read. **

_2300 Hours_

_In the Mandalore System_

_On the_ Megador

 

Ben Skywalker was fast asleep, as he had just finished compiling a long and very detailed report on the combat readiness of the Shadow Alliance’s ground and space forces, and sent it to the supreme commander of the entire Shadow Alliance’s armada, the legendary Bothan that was previously the Galactic Alliance Navy’s supreme commander, Nek Bwua’tu. The report stated that the integration of the remaining of the Neo Death Watch’s forces that had surrendered to the wounded Shadow Alliance was ahead of schedule, and the recovered fleet would be ready to invade two days ahead of schedule.

 

As the thirty year-old Jedi Master rested after a long day of examining statistics and data, he felt the familiar presence of his former apprentice brush against his mind, and he opened his mind to the bond that the two of them shared. Mere moments later, he found himself leaving his physical state, and entering a plane of existence that was eerily familiar to the realm of Beyond Shadows. Staying on-guard in case this was a trap of some kind, he soon found himself standing face-to-face with who he assumed to be Edaan, but he kept his guard up, due to him sensing an unfamiliar darkness emanating from the young man standing in front of him.

 

“Edaan? Is that you?” Ben cautiously said.

 

“ _No, Master Skywalker, I am not Edaan Palpatine. My name is Tau Palpatine. Now, I need you to listen carefully, as I don’t have much time._ ” The young man quickly said, confusing the young Jedi.

 

“Wait. What do you mean that you’re not Edaan?” Ben said before an idea came into his head, and he disbelievingly said, “You’re a clone?”

 

“ _Exactly. Now then, like I said before, I’m short on time, so I’ll be brief and to the point. The Shadow Alliance knows about the Sith trooper project, correct?” Tau said in confirmation to Ben’s question before he asked Ben his question, who only nodded in response. Tau then continued, saying, “Well, I’ve got some good and bad news for you. The bad news is that Edaan was altered with a massive amount of cybernetics in an attempt to have him lead Darth Krayt’s small army of cyborg Sith troopers, the best and most powerful of Krayt’s Sith, and that Krayt may suspect me and Edaan of being agents of the Shadow Alliance._ ”

 

After taking a step back in shock from the information that Tau had just given him, a million questions flooded Ben’s mind ranging from whether or not Edaan, Vestara, and the rest of their compatriots were all right, how could have the Sith have cloned Edaan so quickly, and why said clone was working with Edaan. But, just as he was about to explode with shock, he remembered what Tau had just said with regards to Krayt’s attempt to turn Edaan and said, “‘Attempt?’ Do you mean that Edaan still has control over his body? And how did you become and ally of us if you’re a creation of the One Sith?”

 

“ _And, that’s the good news. Long story short, Edaan gave me free will and his sense of morality, and, in return for allowing me to think for myself, I helped him retain his identity, just like the Technobeast Jedi managed to do during the Sictis Wars._ ” Tau simply explained.

 

“Okay, you’re definitely a clone of Edaan if you could recall such an obscure fact.” Ben said with just a hint of his trademark humor returning as he spoke.

 

“ _Thank you, Ben. Anyway, you know about the Sith trooper project, so, what countermeasures are you taking in regards to this information?_ ” Tau said, getting the conversation back on track.

 

“We’ve got a large shipment of ion-based weaponry coming to Mandalore, and we’re recalling all available Jedi to help with the attack on Korriban, which might commence in less than six days, if we don’t run into any setbacks.”

 

“ _Well, you might want to rethink that acceleration of your plans, Ben, as your ion-based arsenal won’t do much good against the Sith troopers, because I’ve learned that, even though a large amount of their bodies have cybernetics, it isn’t so much of a replacement as rather a fusion of organic and synthetic matter, which means that even if you manage to shut down the cybernetic part of the Sith trooper, then you’ll still have to deal with the flesh-and-blood part of the enemies. Thankfully there are only forty-one Sith troopers functioning at this time, and that doesn’t include Edaan, thankfully, or we’d all be doomed._ ” Tau explained, further shocking Ben, who knew that he would have to tell Bwua’tu and the rest of the Shadow Alliance’s High Command of this new information, if it turned out to be accurate, that is, as he had lingering doubts on Tau’s sincerity of his commitment to Edaan, the Shadow Alliance, and the Light Side of the Force.

 

“Great, more bad news piled upon bad news. How did you even come by this information, Tau, as I doubt that the Sith, or Aphra and Nala Se, just left that information available on a computer for you to see?”

 

“ _Edaan remembered Nala Se and Aphra, who, in their arrogance, told him about the Sith trooper’s capabilities during his transformation into one, and Edaan then told me of them during one of our communications through the Force._ ” Tau simply answered.

 

“Ugh. High Command is just going to _love_ this.” Ben sarcastically drawled out as he made a mental note of this information, before he continued, saying, “So, how does Krayt plan to blow yours and Edaan’s covers, as I imagine that he can’t kill the two of you without proof, at least without risking demoralizing his outnumbered forces?”

 

“ _From what I’ve been able to glean from my meditations, he’s going to host a gladiatorial fight in about twelve hours between me and Edaan, possibly to the death, if Krayt so desires, in order to flush the traitor out. Obviously, we need to come up with a plan quickly in order to outmaneuver Krayt, but, so far, I’m drawing a blank, and time is of the essence, so Edaan and I need to step up our game._ ” Tau honestly replied, right when Ben had a risky, and possibly suicidal plan.

 

“No, Tau. You need to fight against Edaan with everything that you have, and the two of you need to be as vicious as possible, as neither of you won’t be able to get out of the match without Krayt realizing that the two of you are planning to double-cross him. If you two fight hard and ferocious enough, then Krayt might be convinced of your false sincerity, and let the two of you live so that you can pretend to serve him for a little longer.” Ben suddenly said, leaving Tau there with his jaw hanging open in disbelief.

 

“ _Uh… I must have misheard you, Ben, because it sounded like you wanted me and Edaan, your former apprentice, no less, to fight in a DUEL TO THE DEATH!!!_ ” Tau said, shouting by the end of that sentence.

 

“Look, I know that it’s a horrible gamble, but it’s the best chance that the two of you have of staying alive, as there’s no way that we can send anyone to help you guys before the invasion commences, which might be forced to stay at eight days once I tell High Command that the ion weapons will be all but useless in the coming battle.” Ben admitted.

 

“ _Well, I guess that it’s up to the Will of the Force, now. Wish me and Edaan luck, because I think that we’re going to need_ a lot _of miracles before this day is over._ ” Tau despondently said as he began to walk away from Ben, disappearing from the Jedi Master’s mind as he did so.

 

“Wait!” Ben suddenly said, causing the half-vanished clone to stop in his tracks, allowing Ben to continue, saying, “Did any members of the strike team tell you who Darth Krayt really is, because they tried to transmit that information to us, but they were cut off before they could finish telling Fett all of their intelligence?”

 

“ _I’m sorry, Ben, but Krayt put a mental block on everyone’s minds so that they couldn’t tell anyone that information, and Krayt had that information purged from Edaan’s transferred memories when I was being created. I’d try and find out, but that information is too highly-guarded for me to acquire it without getting caught._ ” Tau apologetically said as he began to fade away again.

 

“Oh. I see.” Ben said in disappointment as he allowed Tau to vanish, saying as the spectral image of him completely disappeared, “May the Force be with you, Tau Palpatine.”

 

_The Next Day_

_Day 94 Since the Shadow Alliance’s Formation_

_Seven Days Until Operation: Endgame_

_1100 Hours_

_In the Briefing Room_

 

“You know, just once, just one single time that new intelligence is given to us by Edaan Palpatine, or by one of his allies, for that matter, I wish that I could not risk having an aneurysm. And to think that this latest development happened just after I had gotten a measly five hours of sleep.” Bwua’tu despondently said as he rubbed his temples to calm his throbbing brain after Ben had finished informing him of the developments that Tau had given him.

 

“I know what you mean, sir. Edaan always worked me to my last nerve whn he was my apprentice, so it’s only natural that his brother would be just as troublesome, if not more so.” Ben said in concurrence, recalling the heart attack that he nearly had after Edaan told him of his plan to redeem Vestara on Krant over three months ago.

 

“If this information is indeed accurate. Don’t get me wrong, Master Skywalker, I completely trust your former apprentice, but I have severe trepidations about this ‘Tau Palpatine.’ I mean, you did sense a darkness coming from him, did you not?”

 

“Yes, I did, sir. But, I also sensed that he was telling the entire truth regarding Edaan’s physical transformation, as well finding out about the mistake that we made in getting all of that ion weaponry, due to the Sith trooper’s newly-discovered anatomy.” Ben said before he continued, saying, “I doubt that a spy for Darth Krayt would freely give us all of that information, nor would he be subjected to a duel to the death with Edaan.”

 

“True enough, true enough.” Bwua’tu said in agreement before he took a deep breath and said, “So, what are we supposed to tell the rest of High Command, as we have to tell them, and I imagine that this information will be a ticking timebomb that will go off once we deliver it in just one hours?”

 

“As much as it pains me to admit it, we need to tell them of this, as well as the possibility that Edaan may be compromised. But, no matter what, we need to proceed as planned with the invasion, as any delay will only divide our forces, and give the Sith the time to disperse among the galaxy, and if that happens, then we’ll never be able to kill them all.” Ben reluctantly admitted, as he did not want to assume the worst about his former Padawan, but he had to face what very well could be the hard truth.

 

“Agreed. May the Force be with us all, especially with Edaan and his loved ones, in the next few days, as I have a bad feeling that we’re all going to need it in order to survive whatever comes next.” Bwua’tu said in concurrence as both men got up from their seats in order to go about their respective duties, as well as prepare for the meeting with the rest of the Shadow Alliance’s daily War Council meeting in under sixty minutes.

 

_Meanwhile, on Korriban_

_In Darth Krayt’s Citadel_

_In the Combat Arena_

 

Edaan Palpatine was petrified beyond belief, as he was about to duel against his own genetic twin, possibly to the death, all for the amusement of the One Sith, and for Darth Krayt to see if either him or Tau was a traitor, which, ironically enough, was true. As he checked the lightsaber that was given to him by Darth Malleus for the match that was mere moments away, he silently prayed to the Force to protect his newfound brother, as well as all of his loved ones, especially his beloved wife, Adari Thayn Palpatine, the remaining members of his crew, Vestara Khai, and the Mandalorians, retired members of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, Lasats, and all of the friends that he had made over the years that he had lived.

 

However, he was snapped out of his prayers by Malleus, who wickedly said, “Well, looks like you finally get to test yourself against a worthy opponent, trooper. You’re going to face off against the Iteration in order for each of you to prove your innocence to Lord Krayt. For both of your sakes, I hope that you’re innocent, because I would hate to be the traitor if they survie this battle.”

 

“I will destroy any enemy that Lord Krayt commands of me, Malleus.” Edaan monotonously said as he silently seethed at the way that Malleus was treating him and his brother, and, against his better nature, wished that he could use his newfound strength to crush the Sith Lord while he was still in his Warb Null armor, if only to rid the galaxy of one more fallen Jedi.

 

As soon as Edaan made a silent vow to kill Malleus if he had the chance, a powerful horn blasted through his ears, making him flinch for a split second before his altered eardrums compensated for the pain, and the agony ceased. He then felt Krayt’s summons in his mind, and he walked throught the rising Sith doors, only to find a massive crowd of Sith watching in the stands, as well as the leaders of the corporate, slaver, and Mandalorian forces that aided Krayt’s shadow war, including the doctors Nala Se and Chelli Lona Aphra, and the latter’s sole remaining droid assistant, Triple Zero. After he took a brief look around the stadium to see all of the people that were expecting a bloodbath, he saw Chopper in the stands, on the opposite side of where Darth Krayt’s throne was, as he saluted Edaan with one of his manipulator arms before he rolled off to perform some unknown mission.

 

Once Edaan stopped looking around, he noticed Tau standing about one hundred feet away from him, carrying his ignited and violet-colored lightsaber in one hand, and a red-bladed lightsaber that likely belonged to an unknown membet of the One Sith, as it appeared to be made from Yuuzhan Vong materials, in the other hand, which likely meant that he was going to use the lightsaber style of _Jar’Kai_ , which emphasized using two lightsabers in combat. _This should be interesting._ Edaan thought as he activated the lightsaber that Malleus had given him, and, on his false master’s orders, prepared to charge at Tau.

 

As Darth Krayt, accompanied by Darth Wyyrlok and a young female Chagrian that Tau had earlier identified as Wyyrlok’s daughter, Sorzus, entered the stadium and headed for his throne, the fervor and bloodlust of the spectators was made evident by the increasing volume of the cheers that the hundreds of Dark Side practitioners and secular leaders that were present emitted. However, the cheers quickly died down as soon as the Dread Lord of the Sith raised his arms in a halting manner, and everyone stayed quiet in order to hear what he would next say, as if they hung on his every word.

 

“Thank you all for coming. As you know, the reviled Jedi and their accursed Shadow Alliance will invade Korriban in a mere seven days’ time in order to try and exterminate us and our way of life.” Krayt began, enduring a series of boos that the crowd shot out at the mention of the Jedi and their allies. He weathered out the verbal storm for a full minute before Wyyrlok called for order, and the crown settled back into their seats again.

 

“Now, we may be infiltrated by two of our very own.” In response to this, the crowd went into a frenzied uproar over this news, in full denial over the information that their leader had just delivered. This time, however, he did not wait, and he, through the use of the Force to amplify his voice, bellowed out, “ **QUIET!!!** ” The crowd instantly settled down, more over the fear of suffering their master’s wrath instead of their undying loyalty towards him.

 

Once Krayt was satisfied that he would not be interrupted again, he resumed speaking, “Calm yourselves, none of you are the traitors. In a very short time, we will determine whether or not the traitor is who used to be the Jedi Knight known as Edaan Palpatine, and is now the reprogrammed leader of the Sith Troopers, or the Iteration of Edaan. This is why we are here, to observe these two in combat against each other until I say otherwise.” After taking a moment to allow his words to sink in, he raised his right arm, and quickly shot it down, and shouted to Edaan and Tau, “Now then, begin the fight!”

 

With those words uttered, the two brothers charged at each other, and, in the span of seconds, locked kightsabers, where it was clear that Edaan had the advantage of greater physical strength, as he slowly pushed Tau down to his knees.

 

Tau, seeing that he could not win, or at least survive this duel by relying simply on brute strength alone, turned off his lightsaber and rolled to the right, causing Edaan to stumble, allowing Tau the opportunity to give him a good kick to the face, which, unfortunately, seemed to have no effect, as Edaan did not look at all phased, and instead rather ticked off.

 

 _Oh, boy. This is going to be a long battle._ Tau mentally drawled out as he readied himself to dodge Edaan’s charge again, only for him to grab him by his foot and smash him into the ground several times, leaving Tau very disoriented as he struggled to get back up after being thrown into the ground one more time.

 

Much to Tau’s disgust, the crowd loved every second of the brutal beatdown, and was cheering and roaring for Edaan like a bunch of spoiled children. He then made a mental note to make them all regret their affiliation with the Sith by the time that the Shadow Alliance came and ripped Krayt’s citadel apart.

 

Once he had gotten back to his feet, he used the Force to center his shaking body, and decided to switch tactics. He then mentally called out to Edaan, saying, _Sorry, brother, but this next attack is really going to hurt you._

 

 _I wouldn’t have it any other wayk, Tau._ Edaan mentally replied before he charged at Tau, with him gathering his strength in the Force for a massive attack that would, hopefully, give him the upper hand in this battle.

 

**And, cut. Well, I hoped that you enjoyed the action in this chapter, because there will hopefully be much more to come in the next one. Now then, can you guys believe that there is less twenty-four hours left until _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ comes out in the United States? I don’t know about you, but I am beyond hyped for the new game, and I can’t wait to play it after I get home from my job. Anyway, in just two or three more days, I will be finished with my book on the Templars, and I can move on to another historical book, about what, though, I have no idea. Oh, and, before I forget, the next update will take a lot longer to come out, what, with me playing _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ a lot once it’s released. Well, there’s only one week left until the Shadow Alliance commences Operation: Endgame. I can’t wait to write the final battle that the Shadow Alliance will be in. Oops (well, not really, as I’m sure that at least most of you knew that this would happen, given that I am trying to continue the Expanded Universe in my own way), I just gave away some spoilers. Hey, speaking of the Expanded Universe, I am beyond thrilled for the return of _Star Wars: The Old Republic_ content, especially storywise, and I can’t wait to watch the videos of it on YouTube. Well, I guess that that’s it. May the Force be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	36. Chapter 35

**Good evening, Star Wars Expanded Universe devotees! How are you doing on this warm day of March 22, 2017? Let me tell you, I am exhausted because I worked out on an elliptical at a local gym, and mowed my parents’ lawn, all in under three hours. So, how are you all enjoying your copies of the hit video game, _Mass Effect: Andromeda_? I am loving it, as I am about to embark on the main quest to Eos, as well as complete a bunch of side quests that will get me some much-needed experience points in order for my version of Scott Ryder to level up. Oh, and, in two days, I get the _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ strategy guide from the mail, and then I’ll imbibe all of the knowledge within it in order to get the most enjoyable experience from the game. In addition, I will get the novel _Mass Effect: Andromeda: Nexus Uprising_ in seven days. In other news, the third season finale of _Star Wars Rebels_ premieres in just three measly days, and I am so hyped for it, as I can’t wait to see how the recently formed Rebel Alliance gets out of the noose that Grand Admiral Thrawn has placed around its neck. Oh, and, _Star Wars: Thrawn_ is getting released in just twenty measly days, and even though I doubt that I can integrate it into my head canon, I know that I will enjoy reading about one of the greatest villains in both Star Wars canons. **

**Now, onto more serious news. Did you guys hear about the attack in London that occurred just outside of the British Parliament today? I swear, can’t the people of this world just get along, and not resort to lethal force, or any force, for that matter, when they find that they have disagreements about… well, anything? Anyway, I am currently reading a book written by Bill O’Reilly that is titled _A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity_ , and it is a great read that helps show how old-school values are still relevant in today’s… let’s just say chaotic times. Anyway, let’s get on with the story, as I’m sure that you all are chomping at the bit for some more gritty action. Oh, and, one more thing, I’m sorry if my next few updates are sporadic at best, but I am just enjoying _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ so much. Well, let’s get on with the story.**

**(March 25, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everybody. Sorry to add an addendum to this chapter, but I just had to share with all of you my giddiness over the Season Three finale of _Star Wars Rebels_. I enjoyed the finale immensely, as I watched most of it through YouTube last night, thanks to a user who I will not name, as well as Spectrum TV, and I enjoyed just about everything about the season finale. I won’t give away any spoilers for those of you who haven’t seen these two episodes yet, but I would highly recommend them for all Star Wars fans. So, onto _Mass Effect Andromeda_ news. So far, I have made Eos over 90% viable, and have visited the Angaran world of Aya, and I am ready to move on to another quest. How are all of you doing in the game? Anyway, I’d better get back to writing, as I have a long way to go before this chapter is complete. As Ezra Bridger said in “Zero Hour”, “May the Force be with me.” **

**(March 27, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everyone. I am so sorry for adding yet another addendum to my chapter, but I had to tell you why it’s taking so long. You see, it’s because a couple of days ago, I caught a nasty stomach virus that I am now recovering from, and I needed a couple of days to rest and recuperate in order to fight the virus. Anyway, let’s get back to the story, as I am eager to get back to writing.**

**(March 29, 2017 Addendum.) Guys, I am so sorry that I have to add a third addendum to this incomplete chapter, but I have some very important news to report. As of now, I have a second job at a local movie theater as an usher, which means that I will have even less time to work on my stories soon. I am so sorry. But, on the bright side, it means that I will have some walking around cash in case of an emergency. Oh, and I just realized that, as of now, I have written over 150,000 words in this story alone. Is that amazing or what? Anyway, back to writing.**

 

_Thirty Minutes Later_

Words could not describe how brokenhearted and devastated a teary-eyed Adari Thayn Palpatine was at this moment, as, due to Darth Krayt’s cruelty and malice, she was given a front-row seat in the arena within Krayt’s citadel besides Vestara, who was equally appalled at the barbaric display going on in front of her, as well as Krayt, Wyyrlok, and Sorzus, in order to watch her own husband beat up his “brother” on the orders of Krayt, who, despite maintaining a stoic demeanor, Adari could senese the sick enjoyment the Dread Lord of the Sith was getting out of watching the two Jedi duel each other to the death. She looked around the arena, and she saw each of her companions being kept under guard by at least two Sith, who no doubt had orders to kill them if the tried anything. Realizing that the only thing that she could do at this point was maintain hope, she silently prayed that the Jedi would get here soon, if only to wipe that cool and collected look off of Krayt’s worn face.

 

***

 

Edaan was horrified at what he was sensing: Krayt had brought each of his loved ones to watch this barbaric display, and, to make matters worse, he sensed that Adari and Vestara were right next to Krayt, Wyyrlok, Sorzus, Aphra, Triple Zero, and Nala Se, which was all that kept him from launching himself at the three Sith Lords in a murderous rampage. He quickly regained control of his emotions and telepathically asked Tau, _Did you inform Adari about me retaining my identity, Tau?_

_I told her that I would do what I can to help you, but I didn’t follow up with her on that, as I was too busy with maintaining my cover._ Tau admitted.

 

 _Oh, sure. You could contact my master and tell him of my physical enhancements, but you couldn’t give the time to tell Adari that I was okay?!?_ Edaan mentally shouted into Tau as he charged at Tau for what must have been the seventh time, this time using the seventh form of lightsaber combat that was known as _Juyo_ , the Way of the Vornskr, against Tau via a rapid fashion of lightsaber strikes, with Tau only being able to intercept most of them, a few getting their marks on Tau’s skin, making him grunt in pain as he struggled to fight off the agony of the lightsaber burns on his skin.

 

 _Well, I’m sorry, but I’ve been busy planning with Chopper on how to sabotage the One Sith, while you’ve been training in order to lead Krayt’s death squad!_ Tau angrily retorted as he used his pain to keep himself on his feet as he launched a powerful storm of Force Lightning at Edaan, making take several steps back, and then fall down as his body struggled to compensate for the pain that he was in.

 

 _OUCH!!! Okay, point taken. Sorry. I just hope that Adari can forgive me for what’s happened to me._ Edaan apologetically said before he turned his thoughts towards his wife, and the electricity stopped crackling all over his body, allowing him some time to come up with another plan of attack as he rose back up yet again.

 

Deciding to change tactics yet again, he punched the ground multiple times with his enhanced strength, creating many cracks in the ground around him. He then jumped back, and used the Force to levitate many rocks of various sizes, ranging from pebbles to five-foot boulders, and he then launched them all in a rapid succession against Tau, who had to use the Force to augment his speed in order to avoid being crushed by any of the boulders as he ran around the arena. Once the boulders stopped coming at him, he used the Force to launch himself at Edaan, and, faster than the cyborg could react, he activated his purple and red lightsabers and made an X slash on Edaan’s chest, hoping htat it would be enough to bring him down, but not enough to kill him, because if he _did_ somehow manage to kill him with that attack, then Adari would kill _him_ , and he had no intentions of letting that happen to him.

 

Edaan felt a massive spike in pain rise in his chest from the damage that Tau had inflicted on him, and, rather than waste precious time communicating with Tau over his effectiveness, he sought to end this battle quickly before either of the two brothers was killed. With the adrenaline rushing through his veins due to his cybernetics, he used the Force to levitate Tau into the air, and then had him thrown in his direction, where he then connected his metal-gloved fist with Tau’s face, more than likely breaking a couple teeth and other bones, as he heard a sharp _Crack_ sound, which knocked him out in less than a second, with a massive amount of blood flowing out of his nose and mouth.

 

As the crowd roared in approval of Edaan’s brutality, he looked to Darth Krayt, and, upon getting an approving nod from him that Edaan immediately understood, as well as, due to the implants that Aphra and Nala Se had put inside of him, an unspoken command through the mental link that Krayt and Edaan now shared. In order to maintain his reestablished cover, Edaan false-obediently nodded, and deactivated his lightsaber, gently picked up the injured Tau, and began to carry him to the medlab, where a large bacta tank awaited the heavily wounded brother, all the while ignoring the boos and hisses that came his way until he exited the arena.

 

***

 

Once Edaan and Tau were out of the arena, Darth Krayt took a deep breath to gather the air he would need in order to project his message, stood up to once again address his enraged mass of followers, he thundered out at the top of his voice, “ **SILENCE, MAGGOTS!!!** ” Once the commotion died down, and he was certain that he would not be interrupted yet again, he continued, saying, “I trust that you have not forgotten that the purpose of this match was to test the two ‘brothers’, and determine whether or not one or both of them were traitors to the One Sith. Well, after watching the brutal attacks that each of them had made against the other, I have concluded that neither of them is a spy, and, therefore, they will be given complete medical treatment in order to prepare them for their roles in the coming battle with the Jedi and their Shadow Alliance. I hope that all of you enjoyed the match, because, from here on out, it’s nothing but work until the endgame is upon us. Now, then, you are all dismissed. Return to your respective posts or duties, and don’t give me a reason to have another match between any of you.”

 

With that said, the crowd slowly dispersed, as the workers and fighters left the arena to head back up to the surface in order to prepare for the upcoming siege, while the Sith went back to their respective jobs that were either within the citadel, within the catacombs that led to said citadel, or on the surface with their surviving allies in readying the city of Dreshdae for the Jedi’s arrival.

 

All the while, however, no one paid any attention to a certain black-colored C1 astromech droid that was rolling all around the Citadel, as well any droids that he seemed to stop in order to converse with in droidspeak, which very few of Krayt’s followers could understand, giving Chopper complete anonymity in his self-appointed mission to reprogram as many droids as he could to his side before the Shadow Alliance arrived in the Horuset System.

 

_Twenty Minutes Later_

_In the Mandalore System_

_On the Executor-Class Star Dreadnought_ Megador

_In the Briefing Room_

 

“Why can’t any news that Edaan or his comrades give us ever be good news?” Han Solo said as he rubbed his forehead in annoyance, as he had a difficult time processing the information that his nephew and Bwua’tu had just delivered.

 

“Tell me about it, Uncle Han.” Ben said in agreement as he continued, saying, “And I had to deliver the news to Bwua’tu myself under an hour ago, so I know how difficult it is for all of you to process this intelligence. But now we have to decide just what it is that we’re going to do with this newfound update.”

 

“Actually, I think that we have to decide whether or not we can trust this ‘Tau Palpatine’, as I find it hard to believe that even Edaan could reprogram an under-two-week clone to help him survive a transformation into a cyborg Sith trooper.” The Mandalorian Ghes Orade skeptically said as he spoke up for the first time in the last few meetings.

 

“Normally, I’d be inclined to believe you, Ghes, but I doubt that anyone would, or _could_ , for that matter, make up a story of this magnitude, and be able to fool Ben with such a piece of vital knowledge.” Leia Organa Solo said in response to Ghes’s doubt.

 

“Even the brightest minds in the galaxy can make mistakes, Leia. Just look at Grand Admiral Thrawn’s trust in Rukh, and where it got him when his confederation’s deception against the Noghri people came to light.” Han countered, not fully trusting Ben’s judgment in this case, but also not willing to offend him by bringing up his misplaced trust in Vestara during the Lost Tribe of the Sith’s emergence.

 

“Oh, really, Solo? Well, need I remind you of Luke when he, as well as the bulk of the New Republic at the time, didn’t trust Kir Kanos during his efforts to stop Ennix Devian and his Restored Empire’s machinations to take over the galaxy thirteen years after the first Death Star’s destruction, and that could have cost the galaxy dearly?” Boba Fett countered, as he knew of that series of events with great accuracy, as he helped Devian by bringing the former Imperial Royal Guard to him at the start of that near-disaster, which earned a death glare from the captain of the _Millennium Falcon_ , which the _Mand’alor_ returned with equal intensity.

 

“Okay, let’s change the topic of the conversation before things get out of hand, okay?” Kyle Katarn calmly said, eager to keep the two longtime adversaries from trying to kill each other, as well as getting everyone else caught in the crossfire.

 

“Fine.” Both Boba and Han simultaneously said before the holotable that was used to project a map of Korriban’s catacombs received a mysterious transmission.

 

Bwua’tu motioned for one of the present technicians to identify the source, and, soon enough, a holographic image of a C1 astromech droid that everyone knew appeared in the projection.

 

“Chopper?!” many of the various members of the Shadow Alliance’s High Command shockingly said, and the astromech droid quickly grunted in confirmation of his identity.

 

“I’m sure that everyone has a lot of questions for you, but I will go first, as I have three very excellent questions for you. Might I ask what it is that you’re doing, contacting us from Darth Krayt’s citadel? What happened to Edaan and Tau? And what in the galaxy has happened to the rest of the strike team?” Bwua’tu asked, asking one question after another in rapid succession.

 

Chopper quickly got to work explaining the dire straits that Edaan and his allies were in, telling everyone how he was turning Darth Krayt’s droids against him in order to help the Shadow Alliance in the inevitable siege, how battered and wounded Edaan and Tau were from their brawl in front of the entire One Sith’s army, and how everyone except for Jaden and X2 were accounted for in their cells, as the two Jedi were being held in an area deep within Krayt’s citadel that no one, except for a handful of Krayt’s closest individuals, could enter.

 

After about five minutes of listening to Chopper going on about how unfair the situation was, the Hutt lord Azzim Anjilic Atirue angrily said, “Enough! We get it, Chopper, life isn’t fair for you! Get with the times, life isn’t fair for any of us, especially Edaan and Adari. Now, how many droids have you managed to reprogram for us?”

 

Chopper grunted a couple times, and the leader of the Galactic Alliance’s Wraith Squadron Voort sa Binring said in commendation, “Forty droids of various maintenance, medical, and combat droids. Good work, Chopper.” He then thought back to the former member of Wraith Squadron who now goes by the name of Kirney Slane, and how she used reprogrammed Imperial droids in order to cripple Warlord Zsinj’s Super Star Destroyer, the _Iron Fist_ , and set the stage for the Battle of Dathomir after Han Solo kidnapped his future wife in order to take her there.

 

Chopper then warbled in gratitude for the Gamorrean’s compliment, and was then questioned by Luke Skywalker, who then said, “Chopper, how long will Edaan and Tau be out of commission, and are they in danger of being exposed as spies?” Chopper then beeped a few times, and Luke gratefully repeated, “A couple of days, and their cover is safe. Good. We’ve already lost too many good people to the Sith and their minions.”

 

“You’d better go, Chopper, before someone finds out that you’ve hacked the Sith’s databases. Oh, and try and find a way to learn what’s become of Jaden and X2, as we’ll need their help when we invade Korriban.” Jedi Council member Kyp Durron said as he spoke for the first time during this meeting, which surprised everyone, as he was usually a master of taking risks.

 

Chopper sadly acquiesced, as he cut off communications on his end, leaving the members of the Shadow Alliance alone as he returned to his self-appointed mission of sowing even more of the seeds of the One Sith’s defeat.

 

After a moment of contemplation, Leia Organa Solo said, “So, what are we going to do about the information that Master Skywalker and Supreme Commander Bwua’tu have brought to us?”

 

“I think that we need to prepare for the worst, just in case that this Tau is telling the truth about the Sith troopers’ anatomy and Edaan’s physical transformation into one.” Firmus Nantz grimly said, earning several nods of approval as he spoke.

 

“I’m inclined to agree, Admiral Nantz.” Bwua’tu said in concurrence as he spoke, grimly saying, “Even though I trust Edaan since he helped us defeat Daala and her minions, even the best strategists need a contingency plan, because, as any good warrior knows, no plan survives first contact with the enemy. So, we’ll have to replace the bulk of our ion weapons with conventional weaponry, and get ready for a _lot_ of bloodshed.”

 

“Agreed.” Everyone present said in concurrence as they moved on to their next matter of business.

 

_Forty Minutes Later, In Darth Krayt’s Citadel,_

As Jaden Korr lay strapped to a table that was below much scanning equipment, with a clone that looked exactly like him on a table right next to him, Nala Se, Aphra, and several Sith and Neo Death Watch Scientists were monitoring the various equipment, Darths Krayt and Wyyrlok came up behind him and said in a false-gracious tone, “Forgive me for not coming to see you sooner, Knight Korr, but I have been preoccupied with Edaan and his allies, as well as preparing for your people’s invasion of this planet. Anyway, I’m here now, and now, we can finally begin to determine what went wrong when the first attempt to replace you with your Iteration failed over fifteen years ago.”

 

“What are you talking about, Krayt?” X2 venomously said from his prison cell that was about ten feet away from all of the equipment, wishing that he could, at the very least, say Krayt’s true name in front of him so that he could show just how much he despised the Dread Lord of the Sith.

 

“Tell me, Jaden Korr, when did you realize that your body wasn’t quite the same as it was before the hunt for Grand Admiral Thrawn’s renegade Force-sensitive clones? And don’t try to lie, or the equipment will send a powerful blast of electricity into your nervous system, which will hurt very much.” Krayt said as he ignored the Jedi Master’s not-so-subtle barbs that were a poor attempt to get him riled up.

 

“When I prepared to shave after defeating the Rakatan entity known simply as ‘Mother.’ I noticed that a very old scar from my childhood was missing, and… Come to think of it, Marr felt like he was hiding things from me after I was knocked out by the Umbaran known simply as Nyss. What are you getting at, Krayt?” Jaden said as doubt began to permeate his being after so long, which he allowed to flow into his entire being in order to keep his mind sharp.

 

“Do you know how your former apprentice, Marr Idi-Shael, was killed, Jaden? He was tortured by Daala and her interrogators, and was forced to reveal all of his information to her and us. We received some… disturbing information that explains what went wrong with our first attempt to replace you with an Iteration, or a rapidly-grown clone, if you will, that would infiltrate the Jedi Order until such a time that we would require to activate you.” Krayt explained in a tone that befitted a schoolteacher mentoring a young student.

 

Both Jedi could barely comprehend what had just been said, as they found it almost too much to swallow. Finally, Jaden summoned the courage to say, “What do you mean, Marr revealed the truth to Daala?”

 

“Well, Jaden, after your skirmish with the clones in their cloning facility following Darth Ceadus’s death, I sent two additional agents, the Umbaran twin siblings Nyss and Syll Nenn, to replace Kell Douro, the Anzati that was killed by the _Junker_ ’s captain, Khedryn Faal. I also sent with them one Iteration, a clone that was created from your own tissues, in order to transfer your memories, as well as a series of hidden commands, into the Iteration in order to make you a loyal servant of the One Sith. But, when you were killed by Nyss and the Iteration, Marr managed to prematurely give him your memories and consciousness, essentially overriding the Iteration’s consciousness, and replacing his with your own. He then cut off three of your fingers in order to maintain his cover, and never told anyone, not even Khedryn.” Krayt said as he concluded his long-winded explanation.

 

Jaden could scarcely comprehend what Krayt had just told him. According to the former Jedi Master, for the last fifteen years, he had inhabited a Sith-bred clone’s body that was designed to infiltrate the Jedi Order and spy on them until said clone was activated. He then asked the only logical question that he could think of, and said to himself, “How could Marr have not told me of any of this?”

 

“Oh, come on, Jaden! Don’t tell me that you’re buying any of this _poodoo_?” X2 disbelievingly said.

 

“He is right to believe this, as the signs were pretty obvious once they were put into perspective.” Krayt replied as he motioned for Aphra to begin some unknown experiments, and for Nala Se and Aphra to bring the Mindspear above Jaden, and he then said, “This is a Mindspear. It is a very rare Rakatan artifact that has the ability to transfer a person’s memories into another being’s consciousness. I had Doctor Aphra modify this one so that the person whose memories are copied can retain those memories so that they do not die. This way, this Iteration is finally successfully created, and you can bear witness to the destruction of the Jedi Order that you’ve spent over forty years defending.”

 

“You won’t get away with this, Krayt. One way or another, we will stop you, and bring you to justice, or die trying.” X2 said, his voice full of raw determination as he spoke.

 

“Then you will die trying, X2.” Krayt expressionlessly said as he motioned for Aphra to continue with powering up the Mindspear.

 

Soon enough, an incredible amount of pain began to sear its way into Jaden’s brain as the Mindspear activated, and began to copy and download all of his memories and experiences into the intricate piece of Dark Side technology, with Jaden powerless to resist the process as his mental stamina had been exhausted by the fatigue that he was feeling due to the lack of proper nourishment.

 

After an indefinite period of time, the pain stopped, and Jaden’s mind felt like it had been reduced to a gooey mess, as his entire nervous system felt like it was on fire from a massive amount of searing pain. He took many deep breaths in order to try and regain control of his highly nauseated head, and, after a few minutes, he heard the voice of X2 cry out and shout, “Jaden? JADEN?!? Can you hear me?!?”

 

“Ugh. Yes I can hear you, Master X2. Now, stop your yelling, because my head feels like it was shredded from the inside of a blender.” Jaden exhaustively said.

 

“Good. You’re awake. I was worried that the process would be too much for you to handle.” Krayt smugly said as he then whispered something in Wyyrlok’s ear, and he nodded in acquiesce before he called upon four Sith troopers to escort the weary Jaden and irate X2 back to their cells, leaving the two Sith Lords and their handpicked crew of scientists alone before Krayt and Wyyrlok left the room to discuss a crucial matter.

 

“What is it that troubles you, my master? “Wyyrlok questioned in a knowing but respectful tone.

 

“I suspect that Edaan and his Iteration are truly Jedi agents, but I have no proof, as their performances in the arena were very convincing. I am in need of your counsel, as you are an expert at weeding out traitors and dissidents from within our own ranks.” Krayt honestly said as the two longtime allies passed a group of young Sith acolytes that were walking to their next lesson.

 

“Then we must flush them out, Master. And the best way to do that is to set a trap for them. Send Edaan to the front lines with the Sith troopers, but give the other Sith troopers a hidden command to kill him if he should even show the slightest hint of rebellion. As for the Iteration, have Nala Se place a control chip inside of him that will cause his head to explode if he reveals any crucial information to the Jedi, or if he tries to nullify it by use of the Force.” Wyyrlok replied after weighing all of the options in his mind at a rapid pace.

 

As soon as Wyyrlok finished speaking, Krayt looked to him with an extremely sinister smile on his face and said, “Excellent suggestions. As soon as Edaan’s Iteration is healed from the wounds that Edaan inflicted on him, have Nala Se do the procedure on him immediately, so we can move on to other matters.”

 

“By your will, my master.” Wyyrlok loyally said as he and Krayt resumed walking towards the armory, where they would examine the progress of the stockpiling of weapons that were to be used against the Jedi and their comrades when they invaded.

 

**And, cut! Wow! I can’t believe that I took me nine days to write a 4000+ word chapter. I am so sorry for the delay, but, like I said before in my addendums, I had a nasty stomach virus to fight, _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ to play, homework to do, and an interview where I got my second job to go to, all in the span of a week. So, how much do you guys desire more Expanded Universe content beyond just _The Old Republic_ , because I do, IMMENSELEY!!!!! I just love the old ways, the ways before Disney took over, of course, and I want them back so much. I realize that it can’t be brought back in full capacity, but, is it really too much to ask for two or three books a year, as well a couple of comic book series every now and then? By the way, I hope that you all enjoyed my EU references throughout this chapter, as I just love putting in little tidbits of past stories in them. Oh, and I hope that you all enjoyed the action and minor blood that was seen in this chapter, because I doubt there will be any more scenes like that in this story. Well, hopefully, just a few more chapters left in this story, and then it’s on to the final story in my six-book saga. I hope that you enjoy, because I’ve saved the best for last. Oh, one more thing. About three days ago, I got the novel _Mass Effect: Andromeda: Nexus Uprising_ , and I plan to read it once I go to Florida with my family in April. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised to find out how long the book is, and that I can’t wait to read it. Anyway, May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe! **


	37. Chapter 36

**Good evening, followers of the Star Wars Expanded Universe! How are you doing on this cool night of March 30, 2017? I am well, if not a little bit tired, but that can be expected when you mow your parents’ entire lawn today, as well as go to community college and do some homework there today. Now then, Powerslammer, Master Skywalker 121; thank you both so much for the honest and thoughtful responses to the questions that I sent you, as they really lifted my spirits, as well as gave me further resolve to continue and conclude my stories. I will do my best to live up to the two of your expectations. Anyway, speaking of fanfictions, two of the best stories that I’ve ever read were updated in the last three days, and they are _IV: Holocaust_ and _The Witcher:_ _My Heart Will Always Recognize You_. I would highly recommend them to any fans of both _Mass Effect_ and _The Witcher_ , as they are both to die for. And, speaking of _Mass Effect_ , how far along are you guys in _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ , as I have almost finished Mission Three, and am ready to tackle the Aya vault? It’s too bad that I can’t bring my Xbox One console with me to Florida, otherwise, I would play it a lot while I was there, and I go there to visit my grandparents. Anyway, are you guys enjoying the final season of _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_ , because I’ve enjoyed what little I’ve seen so far, as it is very serious, dark, and gritty, which is how a lot of shows should be, if you want my opinion. Now, let’s get started on the next chapter of ** **_Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War III: Tribulation_ ** **, as it will be very enjoyable, I promise you that much. Oh, one more thing. The reason that I had Krayt suspect, and not know, that Edaan and Tau were spies for the Jedi was because I know that he is very perceptive and smart in terms of strategy and cunning, as shown in the _Legacy_ comics when he perceived the Galactic Alliance Remnant, Empire-in-Exile, and New Jedi Order’s defense of the Hidden Temple on Taivas, but not quite at the level of the original Grand Admiral Thrawn, who is in a league of his own. **

**(April 1, 2017, 6:02 PM, Addendum.) Hello, all of my friends and followers. Sorry to add what is likely the first addendum to this chapter, but I have some very exciting news that cannot wait. As of over twenty-six hours ago, Powerslammer’s best story, _Rajmael of Clan Lavellan_ , was updated with a huge chapter, and it is perfect. I tell you, you won’t find a better _Dragon Age: Inquisition_ , or any _Dragon Age_ story, for that matter, fanfiction anywhere else across the entire internet. Oh, and, a couple of days ago, MandoCommander’s latest story, _Star Wars: Rebels: The Promised Day_ , was updated, and boy, this story has taken a very dark turn. I highly recommend each of these stories to all of you, as they are beyond excellent works. **

 

_The Next Day_

_Day 95 Since the Shadow Alliance’s Formation_

_Six Days Until Operation: Endgame_

_0600 Hours_

_In the Citadel’s Cell Blocks_

Adari was despondent right now, as she could still scarcely believe that her beloved Edaan was now Sith trooper under Darth Krayt’s control. It was for this reason that she could not sleep anymore, and began to silently weep in her shared cell with Vestara, who quickly took notice at this and tried to offer her words of comfort, but the Keshiri woman could not be reached through her grief.

 

After about ten minutes of watching her newfound friend shake in emotional distress, she sensed a very familiar presence in the Force grow steadily closer, and, knowing that Adari needed to know about this, she told her, “Adari, Edaan is coming to this cell, and he’s alone.”

 

Those ten words were enough to make Adari stop her violent shivers, and look at Vestara through her bloodshot eyes and brokenly say, “Why? He’s one of them now. What business could he have with me?”

 

“I don’t know. But we need to be ready for anything, as he could be coming to try and get information out of us, so you need to get your head out from your heart, and into the game, as the Edaan that you and I know is gone.” Vestara sadly said before she gave Adari a fierce hug in order to motivate her.

 

As soon as she let go, Adari’s trademark look of determination that she had when she set her mind to something had returned, and she grimly said, “You’re right. If the Edaan that I love is gone, then the least that I can do is live long enough to avenge him. I know that that’s not what he would have wanted, but vengeance is all that I’ve got left.”

 

“That’s the spirit, Adari Thayn Palpatine.” Vestara said, not particularly fond of Adari using revenge to survive, as she knew how dangerous using such dark emotions was, but she knew that Adari would need every tool in her arsenal in order to survive the trials that inevitable lay ahead until Ben and the others had arrived to eradicate the Sith and their remaining followers. Moments later, the doors to the women’s cell opened up, revealing a heavily armored Sith trooper that both women knew all too well from the gladiator match that took place less than twenty-four hours ago, and the two girls shivered a little upon seeing the twisted and tattooed face that once belonged to the gentle and kind Edaan Palpatine, as he had purposely taken off his mask, likely in an attempt to intimidate the two Force-sensitives.

 

Despite the fear that both Adari and Vestara no doubt felt, Edaan could also sense an indomitable will, fire, and defiance from the two women, which greatly pleased him, as he knew how strong the two of them could be if prodded in the right direction. He then nodded to the two prison guards that watched over their charges, and he then entered the room, with the door closed behind him, and he then quietly signaled for Chopper, who was in the main security room of Darth Krayt’s citadel, to put the security for the cell into a loop, allowing him complete privacy as he began to speak to them, with concern lacing his voice as he said, “Are the two of you alright? I know that the Sith here are very savage, no offense, Vestara, and that they aren’t very gentle or merciful with their prisoners, or anyone, for that matter.”

 

“What’s it to you, Sith scum?” Adari venomously seethed as she looked up at the mockery of her husband, who, for some strange reason, made her insides turn into mush with his false-concerned look in his black and blue eyes.

 

“Adari, don’t worry. It’s me, your husband, Edaan Palpatine.” Edaan said in a reassuring tone, which nearly made Adari believe her words before the brutal reality set back in, and abhorrently she spat in Edaan’s eye, which grossed him out as he said, “Ugh! I hate it when people do that. And that’s happened to me many times before, unfortunately.”

 

“Enough with the games, monster! Just torture us already, since that’s got to be the only reason that you came to see us since Edaan’s gone for good.” Vestara brokenly said as she stared into the twisted mockery of her dear friend that saved her from drowning in her darkness and despair.

 

“Ves…” Edaan said as the reality of the situation set in before he realized how he could convince the two women that he was still Edaan. It was then that a very crazy and embarrassing idea hit him. He then turned back to Adari, and suddenly said, “Adari, do you want me to tell Vestara here of your secret spot?”

 

Adari’s skin then turned a lighter shade of purple upon hearing those words uttered, and Vestara’s attention was instantly piqued as she cautiously said, “Adari, what is the Sith trooper talking about?”

 

“Well, Ves, beneath Adari’s back is a little spot that only I know about that, when rubbed, causes her to gasp and-” Edaan began to explain before he was cut off by Adari.

 

“Okay, Edaan, stop! I believe you. Just don’t say anymore.” Adari practically pleaded to her husband as she acknowledged that Edaan was telling the truth.

 

“Okay.” Edaan nonchalantly said as he turned to face Vestara again and said, “And Vestara, do you want me to tell Adari about who we talked with when you entered my sub consciousness, and you finally reaccepted the Light Side of the Force into your soul?”

 

Vestara’s eyes shot up in recognition of that knowledge, and, beginning to believe that Edaan was really still consciously alive. In order to confirm her rising hopes, she then said, “Alright. I think that the best way for Edaan to prove that he’s still with us is for him to kiss Adari with all of the passion and love that he can muster. Are the two of you up for it?”

 

“Okay.” Edaan and Adari simultaneously, and quite eagerly, said as the two of them warmly embraced each other, and their lips met in a fiery and passionate embrace that lasted for ten blissful seconds as the two of them reacquainted with each other their partner’s tongues’ taste. After the ten seconds ended, the two parted from their embrace, and Adari said, “I guess Tau kept his promise, and helped you survive the transformation into a cyborg.”

 

“Yeah. We owe my newfound brother big time.” Edaan admitted as he rubbed the back of his head in bashfulness.

 

“That we do, Edaan. That we do.” Adari said before she turned the conversation to more serious matters and asked the following two questions, “What’s the status of the invasion, and how are Tau and the others holding up?”

 

“Tau’s been in contact with Ben, and there are just six days left until Operation: Endgame begins. He’s recovered from the brutal beating that I gave him in order for the two of us to maintain our covers, and sends his regards. Everyone else is holding on, but according to Chopper Jaden and X2 are in huge trouble, because Krayt is creating another Iteration, this one of Jaden Korr, and is planning to send him to infiltrate the Jedi’s ranks once they arrive so that he can report back critical information back to Krayt.”

 

“Does Krayt still suspect that you and Tau are spying on him for the Shadow Alliance, as I heard from the guards that Krayt is taking precautions on the two of you, such as sending you to the front with the rest of the Sith troopers, as well as putting a control chip in Tau’s brain in order to keep him from spilling any of Krayt’s secrets?” Vestara asked, acting on her suspicions that began to form a few hours ago.

 

After Edaan sighed in weariness, he said, “I don’t know. I thought that our performances during the brawl were perfect, but Krayt must have thought that they were too perfect, because we all know that he’s not an idiot, and he’s known for his precautions and safeguards.”

 

“That he is, Edaan; that he is.” Vestara said in concurrence, before she said, “So, how are we planning to escape the cells, as I’m sure that Krayt will have tightened security beyond belief for the remaining prisoners, especially the Force-sensitives among all of us?”

 

“Don’t worry about that. Leave everything to Chopper, as he’s got a plan.” Edaan confidently said, much to the shock of the two women.

 

“Chopper?!? You’re saying that all of our hopes for escape lie in the hands of that selfish and ancient C1 astromech droid? Edaan, have you finally lost your mind?!?” Adari said in disbelief to her husband.

 

“I know that the situation isn’t ideal, but Chopper is a very resourceful droid, and he’s loyal to Zeb and Sabine, who are loyal to us and our cause, so try and have a little faith in him. He might surprise you for the better.” Edaan said in defense of his droid ally, much to the surprise of the two women that were residing in the cell that he was currently in.

 

“Well, let’s hope so, because it looks like that we don’t have much of a choice in the matter since Krayt’s cracking down hard on us harder than the First Galactic Empire cracked down on Ahakista after they installed the Hub within the planet, and Ahakista’s inhabitants revolted nearly a year after the Battle of Yavin.” Edaan said while he referred to a very old and very irrelevant historical fact.

 

“Okay, you’re definitely Edaan, all right.” Vestara dryly said, her sense of humor returning after days of nearly wallowing in despair, earning an earnest smile from Edaan before his expression turned serious and he put back on his Sith trooper mask and said, “May the Force be with me.” He then gave Adari another warm hug before he left the cell and left the two relieved women alone.

 

_One Day Later_

_Day 96 Since the Shadow Alliance’s Formation_

_Five Days Until Operation: Endgame_

_1200 Hours_

_In Tau’s Chambers_

“You want me to what?!” Tau disbelievingly said as he heard the proposal that his brother had just given to him.

 

“You heard me. I want you to teach me how to break through the Dark Side miasma in order to communicate with Ben. With that blasted control chip inside of your head, you can’t give any more information to the Shadow Alliance, and if you even try to get that chip out, then your head will literally explode! We need to let them know so that they can have a surgeon standing by in order to get Nala Se’ handiwork out of your mind.”

 

“Edaan, do you realize just what it is that you ask of me? Breaking through the Dark Side’s shroud of Korriban isn’t something that you just learn overnight. And, even if you can learn this skill, there’s no guarantee that you will be able to reach Ben through the Force. To make matters worse, there’s a significant chance that Krayt, or one of his minions, for that matter, could detect your communication through the Force, as it takes a subtle use of the Force in order to avoid detection by the One Sith.” Tau said in protest of Edaan’s suggestion.

 

“Well, Tau, thanks to our five deceased masters, I tend to pick up new skills quite quickly. In addition, I imagine that Ben and I still share a powerful bond through the Force, even though we’ve been apart for over a year. Third, I now have a lot of anger inside of me due to Krayt’s grave transgressions against innocent children, so I can use that in order to mask my efforts to reach Ben, just in case my efforts are too unconcealed for Krayt to pick up on.” Edaan said as he countered each of Tau’s arguments.

 

After trying, and failing, to come up with another argument in order to protest Edaan’s mad proposal, Tau sighed in defeat and said, “Fine. You win, Edaan. But, we’ll have to move fast, as we’ve only got about five days until all hell breaks loose.”

 

Edaan then clasped his hands together as if he was sealing a deal, and then said, “Good. I’ll be back in two hours after I’ve checked up on Chopper and his progress with his plan, and then we can then begin the training.”

 

As soon as Edaan left the room, Tau despondently sighed, and quietly whhispered to himself, “Why in the name of the Force did I have to be a clone of Edaan Palpatine?”

 

_Fourteen Hours Later_

_Day 97 Since the Shadow Alliance’s Formation_

_Four Days Until Operation: Endgame_

_In the Mandalore System_

_In the City of Kyrimorut_

_In the SoroSuub Horizon-class Star Yacht, the_ Jade Shadow

 

Luke and Ben Skywalker were very exhausted, as they had just spent the bulk of the day aiding the Mandalorians’ reconstruction efforts of their city of Kyrimorut. The two of them helped by using the Force to clear out many huge piles of debris, aiding the medics that were tending to wounded that were still being sheltered in makeshift camps inside and outside of the recovering city, and assisting with the construction of new buildings, such as a new command center for the Mandalorians and the Shadow Alliance, as well as apartments and restaurants for the residents of the city.

 

The two Jedi Masters were about to retire for the evening when they were just finishing up with answering a transmission from two married Jedi Council members, Kam and Tionne Solusar, as well as the two Mandalorians known as Jaing Skirata and Goran Beviin, as the four of them were tasked with leading a task force of Jedi Knights, Mandalorians, and Galactic Alliance soldiers and scholars in order to find an alleged Sith shrine that supposedly resided deep beneath the Jedi Temple on Courscant, and was largely responsible for the original Jedi Order’s blindness to the threats of the Dark Side over the millennia. According to the report that the four people were delivering, the Sith shrine had indeed existed since the Great Hyperspace War, and housed many Sith artifacts, such as Holocrons, ancient superweapons, and a massive repository of tomes, scrolls, and books that were heavily tainted by the Dark Side’s insidious grip.

 

“And you’re positive that the artifacts that you’ve discovered within the Sith shrine are authentic?” Luke Skywalker gravely said as he rubbed his stubble of a beard in deep thought upon bearing the implications of what the four warriors were saying to him and his son.

 

“ _Completely, Master Skywalker._ ” Jaing said in a faux-offended tone upon hearing the insinuation that his word could be doubted before he continued, saying, “ _Goran and Tionne have authenticated at least ten of the holocrons as real, and the two of them, as well as the Sith scholars that Chief Dorvan sent us, are trying to understand the Sith superweapons that they left behind without turning them on. Not to mention that we had to deal with six humongous Sith monoliths that guarded the Sith Shrine, so I’d have to say that this place has a HUGE amount of value for the ancient Sith._ ”

 

“I’m sorry. I did not mean to doubt you, or your word, Jaing. I merely wanted to make sure that you might not have made a mistake, as the Sith have fooled all of the major galactic powers at least once in this five-thousand-year-plus war.” Luke said as he raised his hands in a conciliatory manner.

 

“ _True enough, Skywalker, true enough. So, how do you want us to proceed with handling these dangerous artifacts, as I’m willing to bet that the One Sith will be on the hunt for these treasures, if they survive your invasion, that is?_ ” Jaing said in agreement before he asked the grave question.

 

“I can’t make this kind of decision alone. I’ll have to take it up with the Jedi High Council, as dealing with such a massive amount of Sith artifacts shouldn’t be decided with one person alone, not to mention that I’m no longer the Grand Master of the Jedi Order. But, I’m sure that the Shadow Alliance can’t spare a few Star Destryers and freighters, given the importance of this find.” Luke said.

 

“ _Fine. We’ll just have to hold the fort down here until you assemble the rest of the Council. You might want to hurry, though, because I doubt that we’ve fought off the last of those Sith monoliths._ “ Kam Solusar frustratingly said upon hearing about the delay.

 

“ _In the meantime, that will give Goran and I more time to understand how these superweapons work, as there could be many other similar weapons buried within the catacombs of Korriban. I have to say, Goran is a very knowledgeable about the Sith and their history, which I didn’t’ expect from a mercenary, no offense, Goran. But, then again, maybe I shouldn’t’ be so surprised, as the Mandalorians likely know just as much about the Sith as we do, if not more._ ” Tionne Solusar said in jovial spirits, as she was enjoying Goran’s company due to his similar interest in discovering the truth in all kinds of things.

 

“ _Thank you, Master Solusar. And don’t worry, no offense taken, as I’ve been called way worse things from my friends and family for my life choices._ ” Goran cheerfully said before he continued, saying, “ _And I have to remember to thank_ Mand’alor _for sending me beneath your temple, because I’ve actually had a very good time down here, what with killing a bunch of giant Sith abominations, as well as deciphering ancient artifacts in order to gain an edge against our enemies._ ”

 

“Well, I’m glad that you’re all having a good time down there, because we’re about to embark on the biggest battle between the Jedi and Sith since our invasion of Kesh, and we didn’t even have the support of so many galactic governments over four years ago, not to mention that we were still pariahs in the Galactic Alliance all of those years ago.” Ben said, eager to get this conversation over with, as wanted to go to sleep since he had been feeling a nagging sensation in the back of his head for the past hour.

 

Before Luke could scold his son, a spectral image of a man enclosed in Sith armor appeared to the right of the two of them, and the two Jedi Masters were on their guard as they got up from their seats and ignited their lightsabers in two defensive positions.

 

The unknown Sith then raised his hands up in a surrendering gesture and said in a very familiar voice, “Whoa, whoa, easy there guys! It’s me, the one and only Edaan Palpatine. I only look like this because I’ve been encased in this accursed Sith trooper armor for eight days straight, with it only being taken off when I had to recover with my battle with Tau.”

 

Upon hearing the slightly cybernetic voice of the young Jedi Knight, as well as gauging the specter’s Light-Side affiliation through the Force, the two Jedi Masters dropped their guard, and Luke said to Goran, Jaing, Kam, and Tionne, “All right, guys. I’m going to have to call you later. We have a guest that we need to speak to at once.” Before anyone could ask what Luke what was talking about, Luke shut off the communicator, and, turning back to the astral projection of Edaan, Luke then said, “Edaan, how are you projecting an image of yourself? I thought that Tau was the only one that could break through the concentration of Dark Side energy of Korriban, and we haven’t heard from him in a few days, so we assumed the worst about him and feared that he was dead.”

 

“No, I’m afraid that he is in dire straits, you guys. Nala Se and several of the Sith’s ‘doctors’ have placed an inhibitor chip inside of his mind that will kill him if he tries to divulge any of the One Sith’s secrets to anyone, or if he tries to nullify it through the usage of the Force.” Edaan gravely said, shocking the two Skywalkers. He then continued, saying, “Anyway, Tau taught me how to outmaneuver the One Sith’s senses and communicate with you guys. But, back to the matter at hand, once the Shadow Alliance invades Korriban, you guys need to have the best neurosurgeons and medical droids standing ready for Tau, because we need to get that control chip out of him as soon as possible, because it’s only a matter of time before something happens that causes his head to literally explode.”

 

“Consider it done, Edaan.” Ben said before he shifted his feet and nervously said, “How… how is Vestara doing? Have the Sith done anything to her?” This line of questioning earned an amused look from his father, and Ben then scowled at him in annoyance.

 

“Don’t worry, Ben. She might be a little bruised, but otherwise, she’s alright. Oh, and, judging from her nervousness, she’s _really_ eager to see you again.” Edaan then said, causing Ben’s cheeks to flush a bright color of crimson red.

 

“Getting back to the matter at hand, guys…” Luke said in an effort to get the meeting back on track, and then continued, saying, “Try and keep us appraised of any developments on your end, as any advantage that we can gain over the One Sith could be crucial in winning this shadow war.”

 

“Of course, Master Skywalker. Oh, there is one more thing that I should tell you. Thanks to Chopper’s efforts at reprogramming several dozen droids, I learned that another Iteration was created, this one of Jaden Korr, and plans to infiltrate the Shadow Alliance’s ranks once you guys invade. However, Krayt is leaving the original Jaden and X2 alive so they can ‘watch the Shadow Alliance’s demise.’ So, unless Jaden comes with either us or X2, assume that he’s the Iteration, and hold him for interrogation. Understand?” Edaan said as his spectral image began to dissipate into nothingness.

 

“Understood, Edaan. Stay safe, and may the Force be with you.” Luke said as Edaan’s spiritual projection completely vanished, leaving the two surviving Skywalkers alone in the _Jade Shadow_ to ponder the latest report from their strike team on Korriban.

 

“Well, it looks like that we have yet _another_ piece of vital intelligence to deliver to High Command tomorrow morning, so we’d better get some much-needed sleep before the next briefing at 0900 hours tomorrow.” Ben annoyingly said as he stretched his muscles from standing almost completely still for the last twenty minutes.

 

“Agreed, Ben. I shouldn’t even be up this late. I’m getting too old for this, especially since I’m almost seventy-six years old.” Luke said in concurrence as the two Jedi made their way to their respective cabins on the _Jade Shadow_ in order to get a few hours of much-needed sleep before they returned to their respective duties.

 

**And, that’s a wrap on the latest chapter of Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War III: Tribulation! So, what did you guys think of this chapter? Anyway, I have to tell you that tomorrow, I am going down to Florida for a few days in order to visit my grandparents, so I might not be able to write the next chapter for at least a week. Oh, and, as of today, I started my second job, and boy, are my legs and feet tired. So, the prequel comic book series, _Injustice 2_ , and the novel _Star Wars: Thrawn_ are released next Tuesday, and boy, am I excited for these new pieces of entertainment to come out. Well, only four days left in the Star Wars universe until the Shadow Alliance invades Korriban, and, as the saying goes, all hell breaks loose. So, what are your expectations for the Siege of Korriban? Tell me what you expect in reviews and emails, and I will take your request into consideration as I prepare to write the final book in my _Jedi Odyssey_ saga. Now, if only these stories could become official Expanded Universe novels. That would give me a heart attack of pure joy. Well, a man can dream. Anyway, it’s time for me to go for today, which is April 5, 2017. May the Force be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	38. Epilogue

**Hello, Star Wars Expanded Universe enthusiasts! How are you doing on this warm evening of April 6, 2017? I am well, as I have arrived in Florida and am with my grandparents right now, and so far, I am having a pretty good time, as I recently had a very intelligent conversation with my uncle who lives near my grandparents about ethics during wartime, as well as the current state of things in the United States. Anyway, did you guys hear about Operation: Blue Milk from The Star Wars Underworld, because I sure did, and I am beyond hyped for the release of more Star Wars literature, especially on the off chance that it is Expanded Universe content. I cannot wait for the official announcement that is rumored to come tomorrow, which better be in less than six hours, as it is 9:16 pm where I am right now. Too bad that I’ll be asleep for that. By the way, as of today, I have finished two books, a novel that I had nearly completed as of yesterday, that was written by a former Navy Seal that you might know as Marcus Luttrell (And no, it is not _Lone Survivor_ , in case you were wondering.), and the new _Mass Effect_ novel, _Mass Effect: Andromeda: Nexus Uprising_ , and boy, was it a doozy. I really enjoyed both books, especially the latter, as it revealed facts about the game that I didn’t know, and it might have made my decision about certain things in the game once I get to them. Oh, before I forget, I am currently on Sequart Organization’s _A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Exploring Star Wars Comics_ , and am over a third of the way through the book. So, I’d better get to writing this chapter, as I have no idea what I’m going to write for it, and I think that I should finish this story before I get too busy with regards to work and school, not to mention my volunteer work. Oh, before I forget, the reason that I included the discovery of the Sith shrine in the last chapter is because I wanted that storyline wrapped up as quickly as possible so that I could focus on the upcoming Siege of Korriban, which made me just realize that maybe, just maybe, I can finish this story in one final chapter if I make it longer than my usual chapters. Well, may the Force be with me, because I have a lot of writing to do if I’m going to finish this chapter in a matter of days instead of weeks. Anyway, on with the story!**

**(April 7, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everyone. What are you doing right now at 8:10 PM? I am currently watching _The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers_ on TNT as I write more of what should be the final chapter of _Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War III: Tribulation_ , and let me say that I am enjoying what I’ve seen so far, and the movie’s only just begun. Anyway, on to more important matters. Have you guys found out what Operation: Blue Milk is all about, because I have, and let me just say that I am more than a bit disappointed, as I did not expect it, or hope, for a more appropriate word, to be more _A New Hope_ content, even if it is an anthology of short stories written by over forty authors, many of which are legendary figures in the galaxy of Star Wars literature. One more thing, I am now done with Sequart Organization’s _A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Exploring Star Wars Comics_ , and tomorrow, I plan to start _Naruto: Itachi’s Story: Volume One: Daylight_. I can’t wait to read the three latest short Naruto books that have been released. **

_Three Days Later_

_1630 Hours_

_Day 100 Since the Shadow Alliance’s Formation_

_450 Minutes Until Operation: Endgame_

_In the Horuset System_

_On the Planet Korriban_

_Within Darth Krayt’s Citadel_

 

Edaan Palpatine was more on edge than usual, since the Shadow Alliance would be launching their entire navy and armada in less than eight hours, and the war that Edaan had forced to begin would come to a dramatic conclusion that would decide the fate of the galaxy for decades, if not centuries, to come. He was so nervous that his right hand was unconsciously twitching from the anxiety that he was feeling at the exact moment that Chopper rolled up behind him and warbled rather happily, which scared the life out of the cyborg Jedi Knight, as he nearly shrieked like a five-year-old girl.

 

As Chopper enjoyed seeing people react in fear to his presence, he had a mission to complete, and began to warble in droidspeak for two minutes, telling Edaan of how he managed to smuggle several lightsabers, including the one-of-a-kind Mandalorian lightsaber known as the Darksaber, to Sabine, Vestara, and the majority of the former members of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, while managing to get a variety of melee weapons such as vibro-shivs, ancient Sith swords, and poison darts with the blowers in order to launch them at any unsuspecting enemies. In addition, he had managed to reprogram over one hundred and fifty droids of the various five classes to the Shadow Alliance’s cause, which would provide a distraction for the second prison break, and hopefully, the first to succeed, that would have occurred within the last month. Showing even more initiative, Chopper had used one of the droids to download a highly encrypted list of each Sith Lord’s position during the Jedi’s invasion of the planet.

 

“Well, Chopper, if I were a gambling man, which I’m not, I’d wager that Kanan and Hera would be immensely proud of you for taking such initiative, and doing it without any screw-ups to boot.” Edaan said with just a hint of humor lacing his voice at the end of his sentence.

 

Chopper then shocked one of Edaan’s ankles with his electroshock prod, which the young Jedi Knight did not feel due to the armor that protected his body, and said Jedi Knight merely chuckled in amusement at the astromech droid’s grunts of frustration at not being able to hurt him anymore.

 

“Okay, Chopper. I think that we’d better get ready for the rest of the Shadow Alliance to arrive within the next twelve hours, as you’ve got to organize a prison break, and I’ve got to make my way to the rest of the Sith troopers in order to maintain my cover. As you no doubt know, we’re going to be the first wave of Sith that assault the Shadow Alliance, which is going to make Tau and my escapes all the more difficult. But, hey, this mission had to get hard somewhere, am I right, or what?” Edaan said after he calmed down. Chopper simply responded by rolling away in irritation, leaving Edaan alone with his thoughts as he began walking to the deployment area, where the forty-one other Sith troopers were awaiting their traitorous leader.

 

_1800 Hours_

_360 Minutes Until Operation: Endgame_

 

Darth Krayt was just finishing up his final meditation to prepare for the siege of Korriban when he sensed that Darth Wyyrlok, as well as his daughter, Sorzus, White Eyes, Darths Snoke, Malleus, Sedriss, and See-Chok, Chelli Lona Aphra, Nala Se, a fully repaired 0-0-0, and Jaden Korr’s Iteration entered his private chambers. He opened his eyes and stood up from his sitting position, where he then said, “Thank you all for coming. You are my top lieutenants, and I am going to trust you with the knowledge that I am about to divulge to each of you. As Wyyrlok and Sorzus know, I suspect that Edaan Palpatine and his Iteration are spies for the Jedi Order.” Upon hearing those words, the room erupted into an uproar with most of the Sith, as well as Doctor Aphra and her sole remaining assassin droid, yelling and shouting their disbelief or shock that their master would make such a bold accusation.

 

After he raised his hand to quiet the crowd, he said, “I do not know how the two managed to adhere to the Light Side of the Force, but I have taken steps to expose the two of them, should they indeed be traitors to the One Sith, as well as neutralize their impact on our machinations. For Edaan, I have placed his in the front lines, surrounded by the other Sith troopers that I have programmed to kill him if he makes one wrong move. As for the Iteration, I had Doctor Nala Se install an inhibitor chip in him that will make his head literally explode if he attempts to reveal any intelligence of any kind to anyone, especially the Jedi. And, just in case any of our captors try to escape our hospitality, I have two hundred assassin droids stationed around the cellblocks with orders to execute them if they make even one wrong move. The echoes that will emit from the Force should serve to demoralize the Force-sensitive memebers of the Shadow Alliance, as well as make them more prone to poor calls of judgment. Now then, everyone knows their assignments, and we only have less than twelve hours before the Jedi and their minions get here, so prepare for a battle that the galaxy hasn’t seen since the Battle of Yuuzhzan’tar. VICTORY OR DEATH!!!” Krayt said, shouting by the end.

 

“VICTORY OR DEATH!!!” Each of Krayt’s subordinates roared in enthusiasm as they raised their fists in the air to support their master, and then went to prepare for the carnage that would soon unfold.

 

_2100 Hours_

_180 Minutes Until Operation: Endgame_

_In the Mandalore System_

_On the Executor-Class Star Dreadnought_ Megador

_In the Briefing Room_

 

“You all know why we’re here.” Nek Bwua’tu, supreme commander of both the Galactic Alliance and Shadow Alliance’s navies, grimly said as he had a lieutenant at the holographic projector pull up an image of Korriban, with the city of Dreshdae in the center of the projection of the ancient city.

 

Everyone was physically present for this final meeting: the leaders of the Shaodw Alliance’s High Council, Hutt Lord Azzim Anjilic Atirue, Confederacy Admiral Treast Kre’frey, former Neo Death Watch captain Armand Vorn, _Mand’alor_ Boba Fett, Fel Empire Empress Jaina Solo Fel, Jedi Council Member Corran Horn, Galactic Alliance Admiral Gavin Darklighter, and the Hapes Consortium Queen Mother’s advisor and bodyguard, Trista Zel; the Jedi Council sent the bulk of its members: Jedi Masters Barratk’l, Saba Sabatyne, Cighal, T’ra Saa, K’Kruhk, Kyp Durron, Leia Organa Solo, and Jedi Grand Master Kyle Katarn, while Ben Skywalker attended due to his efforts in ending the Lost Tribe of the Sith on the planet of Kesh; Luke Skywalker, along with Han Solo and C-3P0, three of the five surviving Heores of Yavin, were in attendance as well, as were the members of the reconstituted Grey Cadre: Galactic Alliance general Etahn A’baht, admirals Kir Vantai nd Firmus Nantz, senators Ponc Gavrisom, Releqy A’Kla, and Ta’laam Ranth, and Galactic Alliance commodore Turk Brand; Mandalorians Venku Skirata, Sintas Vel, and Ghes Orade; finally, Rogue Squadron Leader Syal Antilles Syal Antilles, as well as Wraith Squadron Leader Voort sa Binring, Galactic Alliance commodore Kral Nevil, and Fel Empire Grand Moff Ephin Sarreti, rounded out this final gathering of leaders within the Shadow Alliance’s High Command before they launched for the soon to commence invasion of Korriban.

“In a short three hours, Operation: Endgame, the long-awaited invasion of Korriban, will finally begin, and, hopefully, we will have wiped the scourge of the Sith from the galaxy, once and for all. The fleets are finishing restocking and refueling their stores and ships, and all of the personnel and soldiers are accounted for.” Bwua’tu said as he continued his speech, with everyone listening intently, as they knew that their lives could depend on whether or not they listened to what the legendary Bothan had to say.

“The first phase of the battle should go straightforward enough. Our armadas will attack the One Sith’s weakened navy, which, according to the reports that Atai Molec, Kallus Orrelios, and the records from the _Chuundar’s Legacy_ , is comprised of one wing of _Kom’rk_ -class fighters/transports, one wing of _Bes’uliik_ Starfighters, a wing of lethal Mandalorian Fang Fighters, two _Keldabe_ -class battleships, eight heavily modified _Pursuer_ -class enforcement ships, thirteen _Dreadnaught_ -class Heavy Cruisers, three _Imperial_ II-class Star Destroyers, five _Invincible_ -class Dreadnaught Heavy Cruisers, and the remainng corporate and slaver forces that managed to escape the Defense of Mandalore. With our influx of reinforcements from Daala’s former troopers, as well as our Yuuzhan Vong allies, we have the numbers to easily break through the blockade that they have over the planet of Korriban. From there, we move on to Phase Two of the battle: the ground war. We will land three kilometers outside the city of Dreshdae, and make our way to the city, eliminating any resistance that we will face. Once we have secured the city, we will scour the city for any useful information regarding the One Sith’s plans and agents, but we expect the bulk of that knowledge to be stored in Darth Krayt’s citadel, which is buried deep witin the catacombs of the planet. Which brings us to Phase Three of Operation: Endgame, which will have us send in the bulk of our ground forces, as well as eighty percent of our Jedi and Imperial Knights, within the catacombs in order to eliminate any members of the One Sith, as well as their creatures and minions, that stand in our way. We will also use every resource availiable to us in order to attempt to rescue Edaan Palpatine and the remaining survivors of his improvised strike force. Phase Four will begin once our forces arrive at Darth Krayt’s citadel. Thanks to the expertise of Sabine Wren’s Vindicator Brigade, we have the explosives that would be required to bring the citadel, as well as the entire network of catacombs that reside beneath Tulak Hord’s tomb down under.” Nek Bwua’tu explained in a crisp and professional manner, impressing everyone with how calm he kept himself so calm, cool, and collected in light of the inevitable battle that would begin.

 

The Bothan supreme commander continued, saying, “Once we have penetrated the citadel, we will eliminate every Sith that we come across, while acquiring all of the data that we can find from the Citadel’s databases, and capturing key non-Sith personnel, such as Chelli Lona Aphra and Nala Se, so that we may put them on trial for their crimes against the galaxy. But, our primary objective is to eliminate Darth Krayt and his top lieutenants, so that the One Sith cannot reform after their deaths. Finally, everyone will know their positions and deployment patterns during the battle from the ten previous briefings, and anyone who may have forgotten their place in the battle will find the necessary information in their personal datapads. That is all, any questions?” Once Bwua’tu stopped speaking, all he received was complete silence, as everyone understood that the fate of the galaxy was at stake with this soon-to-begin battle.

 

“No questions?” Bwua’tu surprisingly said, as he expected a myriad of questions about the strategy and commencement of the invasion of Korriban. He then gripped both of his hands together behind his back and solemnly said, “Excellent. Then get to your ships, get a few hours of much-needed rest, and may the Force be with us.’ Everyone then left the room in an orderly fashion, and, as Ben left the room, he silently thought to himself, _Edaan. Ves. Hold on just a little longer, because we’re coming to save you!_

_2359 Hours_

_1 Minute Until Operation: Endgame_

 

In the silence of space in the Mandalore System, the massive Shaodw Alliance fleet of various ships of dozens of designs completed their final preparations for battle. The fleet, comprised of the ships and soldiers of the Mandalorians, Hutts, Jedi, Hapes Consortium, Galactic Alliance, Fel Empire, former Neo Death Watch, and various planets, was doing its final calculations for the jump to hyperspace, when the commanding voice of Nek Bwua’tu said into every ship’s intercom, ‘All ships, launch!”

With those three words uttered, every ship, ranging in size from the Millennium Falcon to the _Megador_ and _Nossor Ri_ , activated their ship’s hyperdrives, and made the jump into hyperspace, leaving nothing but fuel exhaust in their wake.

 **And, that’s a wrap! Well, the final chapter of Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War III: Tribulation** **took much less time than I expected, but I guess that I didn’t need as many words as I thought, which is a shame, as I love to write, as I wrote two hundred and ninety pages of this glorious fanfiction. And to think, my final story will hopefully be even longer than this one. Anyway, tell me what you guys thought of my fifth story, as I desperately need more input. So, what are you guys doing on the afternoon of April 9, 2017, as I am relaxing at my grandparents’ house? I also saw that MandoCommander’s _Star Wars Rebels: The Promised Day_ was updated yesterday with its final chapter, and it is a very powerful chapter, a near-perfect blend of Expanded Universe and Disney Canon. Anyway, are you guys eager for Star Wars: Celebration Orlando to begin, because I sure am, as I can’t wait for the Internet to reveal all of its secrets to me, especially about most of the comics, novels, video games, and TV shows that are being unveiled at Celebration Orlando. Oh, and before I forget, I finished _Naruto: Itachi’s Story: Volume One: Daylight_ today, and plan to begin _The Witcher: The Lady of the Lake_ tomorrow. I can’t wait to read the final book in _The Witcher_ saga. Well, I’d better log off, as tomorrow or the day after, I plan to get started on my final story, Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey: Shaodw War IV: Omega. Hey, did any of you guys catch the Biblical references in my last four story titles, because they were intentional? So, I gues this is time for me to sign off for now. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**

 


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